With balmy 24-degree conditions now feeling like an ever-present part of this October, many living across Swiss cities and cantons may have thought that the world had decided to skip autumn this year. Now, after September shattered records, forecasters have predicted that the weather in Switzerland will remain summer-like until the weekend, breaking some October temperature records along the way.
According to MeteoNews, Switzerland is expected to break temperature records on October 9. As families and individuals in the alpine nation go to school or work, and perhaps plan their evening excursion to see the peak of the Draconids meteor shower at 9pm, the mercury is expected to rise to 27 degrees celsius in the south of the country and 26 degrees in the north.
It follows a week of record-breaking weather at the start of October, with 27 degree-conditions already recorded in Lucerne on October 3. In Bern, October 8 marked the latest “summer day” - a day with temperatures over 25 degrees - ever recorded in the city, although this record will likely be broken on Monday.
The entirety of Switzerland will see summer-like conditions for the rest of the working week, with temperatures hovering between 23 and 25 degrees between October 9 and 14. The best conditions are forecast for Wednesday, with bright sunshine expected across most of the country, making it an ideal day to visit the mountains.
While it may sound like good news for those planning an off-season dip in the lake or a barbecue, the excessively long summer, spurred on by climate change, is having a huge impact on the natural environment. For example, a recent report from the Swiss Academy of Sciences found that Swiss glaciers have lost 10 percent of their volume in just two years. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service now says that 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record.
The "summer in October" is set to continue until Saturday when scattered showers are set to arrive across the country. Temperatures in Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lausanne and Geneva will remain around 20 degrees on October 14, before plunging down to between 11 and 17 degrees on Sunday. Things will remain relatively cold and drizzly from next week.