Over the next few days, Switzerland will feel like it is in the midst of summer, thanks to a warm front passing over the whole of Europe. However, residents of the alpine nation shouldn’t put away their jackets just yet, with the mercury set to drop by up to 15 degrees celsius by the weekend.
In good news for those who get Labour Day off, the weather in Switzerland over the next few days will feel more like July than May. Thanks to a high-pressure system stretching from the North Sea to Anatolia, the temperature will begin to climb across the country from April 30 onwards. The final day of the month is expected to be clear in most places, though thunderstorms are possible in the Alps.
By May 1, temperatures will range from 20 to 26 degrees, accompanied by stunning sunshine across the country. The hottest conditions will be felt in Ticino, Chur, Zurich, Basel and central Switzerland.
The warming is expected to peak on Friday, with highs of 27 degrees in the north and 26 degrees to the south of the mountains. Temperatures might even rise to 30 degrees, depending on how the day develops, with the hottest conditions expected in northwestern Switzerland. In a sign of how climate change has upended the weather in Switzerland, the last time the 30-degree barrier was broken in Basel in May was in 1945.
The final day of the working week may also be the first time to dip a tentative toe into a lake or river (though not for long). Temperatures in the major lakes are forecast to rise above 14 degrees, though rivers will remain cooler.
However, the end of Friday will hint at the dramatic weather change set to arrive over the weekend, with clouds thickening across the country. Then, throughout Saturday, a wave of polar air from Scandinavia will send the mercury plummeting, with scattered sunshine, occasional showers and small storms becoming the norm.
On Sunday, most of the country will be covered with a blanket of rainfall, with conditions cooling even further. The turnaround will be complete by May 5, when the warmest temperatures will peak at between 10 and 15 degrees. This means in some places, the mercury will fall by over 15 degrees in just three days.
Looking ahead, next week will begin with cold and wet conditions across the cantons. Amid scattered clouds and sunshine, the weather will begin to warm up again from Wednesday.
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