Winter has come early in parts of Switzerland, with many Swiss cities preparing for their first snowfall of the year this weekend. Current reports have the snow line between 400 and 800 metres on Saturday, meaning cities north of the Alps should prepare for the first snow of this winter.

Snow for the first time below 800 metres in Switzerland

Current projections from MeteoNews expect a high chance of snowfall for areas north of the Alps this week. The weather in Switzerland over the next few days will bring a large amount of fog and rain to the northern cities of Zurich, Bern and Basel, but current predictions show a high chance of snow over the weekend.

This will mean Switzerland will see its first “white Advent”, or snowy start to December, for many years. The amount of snowfall is yet to be determined, but it is expected to reach the “Mittelland” where most Swiss cities are located.

Fog and rain to characterise Swiss weather for the next few weeks

Snow has already reached the Swiss mountains, with the snowline currently above 1.000 metres, 200 metres above the ski resort of St. Moritz. It is hoped that the new forecast will allow more resorts to open, as some struggled with a lack of snow when they opened last week.

For the remainder of this week, the weather will be dominated by cold and fog until the possible snow over the weekend, with temperatures of five to seven degrees. For those who want warmer weather, Wednesday could be the best day to head to the mountains as the warm air of the “Foehn” is due to pass through.