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The climate of Switzerland
According to the Köppen climate classification four climate types can
be observed within Switzerland. The highest regions have a high
mountain climate (type EH), the medium-high areas have a cold
continental climate (Dfd). The lower parts in the north western part
of the country have a moderate continental climate (type Dfb). The
most southern tip of Ticino (Lugano and Chiasso) bordering
Italy has a
Mediterranean climate or a warm sea climate (type Cfa) with mild
winters and warm summers. Most people think of Switzerland as a
mountainous and snowy country and mistakenly assume it is always cold
here. During the winter weather conditions are wintry and cold.
However, when spring starts snow melts and temperatures rise to
pleasant figures.
Climate information of places and areas in Switzerland
The climate information given on this page is only brief. Specific
information on weather and climate can be found on the pages per
region or city. The following climate information is available for
Switzerland:
Summer in Switzerland
In general, summers in Switzerland are warm with maximum temperatures
of 20-25 degrees Celsius on average all summer long. The higher
mountainous areas are colder. In some regions in Graubünden and
Valais
temperatures are 10-15 degrees Celsius during the day. On the highest
peaks temperatures hardly rise above freezing point and eternal snow
and ice can be found. Because of global warming the total amount of
square kilometers of perpetual snow and ice have been declined by tens
of percents over the last 30 years. In total about 2,000 square
kilometers of Switzerland are covered with glaciers or perpetual snow.
The area on the south side of the Alps where you can find places such
as Lugano, Locarno and
Chiasso even has the characteristics of a
Mediterranean climate. Especially on the lakes it feels more like you
are on the Mediterranean Sea than in Switzerland.
Winter
During the winter large parts of Switzerland are cold and gray. In
mountainous areas above 2,000-2,500 meters the climate is often bleak.
In the Alps and Jura subzero temperatures can be recorded 24 hours per
day and reasonable amounts of snow fall. When a depression remains
stationary tens of centimeters of snow may fall within 24 hours. From
December till April the most popular winter sports destinations are
covered in a thick blanket of snow. Snowfall also may cause dangerous
situations. When fresh snow falls on top of an old layer of snow
chances of avalanches increase rapidly. Off-piste skiing may be very
dangerous then.
Precipitation
Switzerland is one of the wettest countries in Europe. When
depressions are pushed against the mountains they will cause rain to
fall. This type of precipitation induced by orographic lift causes the
Alps and Jura to be wet. Most of the rain falls on the peaks of the
Alps. The Jura and the west and north sides of the Alps get a little
less precipitation. The central part of Switzerland is lower and drier
because the mountains prevent rain from reaching this region. The
wettest parts of Switzerland get more than 2,000 millimeters of annual
rain, a reasonable amount of which falls in the form of snow.
Switzerland gets 1,100-1,500 millimeters of annual precipitation on
average evenly spread out over the year with a small peak during
summer.
Climate figures
The figures below are based on long term weather and climate
records. They can be seen as an average for Switzerland. The climate
records shown are for the lower parts of Switzerland (<1,000 meters)
which can be found in the west, north and the Ticino canton (Lugano,
Locarno and Chiasso) on the south side of the Alps. The higher regions
(>1,000 meters) get less sunshine, are colder and annual precipitation
is spread out differently.
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month. The information below is an average for
Switzerland with the exception of Alpine areas higher than 1,000
meters. Higher areas get less sunshine and have a higher chance of
wintry weather.
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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= 0-5 mm ●
= 6-30 mm ●
= 31-60 mm ●
= 61-100 mm ●
= 101-200 mm ●
=
over 200 mm
