A new report by MeteoNews has found that October 2022 is set to go down as the hottest October in Switzerland since records began. The weather in Switzerland has remained stubbornly warm over the past few weeks, with temperatures being 3,2 degrees celsius hotter than usual.
Switzerland may be preparing to move the clocks back in preparation for winter, but that hasn’t stopped temperatures from remaining summer-like for weeks. Compared to climate measurements from 1991 to 2020, this October is 3,2 degrees warmer than usual, a new record for the month.
This has been accompanied by an 18 percent increase in rainfall compared to previous years, which actually led to flooding at the start of the month. The good news for gardeners in Swiss cities is that the lack of any morning frost has meant summer plants and flowers have survived much longer than usual.
In the Swiss mountains, October 2022 has actually been warmer than September, which has led to skiing events - like the men's and women's World Cup races in the Swiss ski resort of Zermatt - being cancelled due to a lack of snow. MeteoNews found that the average temperature at the top of Pilatus for October is 7,5 degrees, up 2,1 degrees on the September average.
According to Roger Perret from MeteoNews, the hot temperatures are set to continue until the end of the month, due to an area of high pressure over Europe. The weather for the remainder of October is expected to be warm, with patchy clouds and highs of 21 degrees.