After weeks of prolonged dryness, Switzerland is experiencing a dramatic shift in weather patterns. Atlantic low-pressure systems are bringing substantial rainfall and strong winds to the country, with up to a meter of new snow forecast for the Alps, significantly increasing the risk of avalanches.
Many regions of Switzerland had gone weeks without rainfall, a situation meteorologist Peter Wick described to 20 Minuten as unusually prolonged. The dryness was attributed to a blocking high-pressure system over Scandinavia that dominated the winter weather. “The high is weakening, opening the way for Atlantic low-pressure systems,” Wick explained. The jet stream is shifting northward, placing Switzerland in an active westerly flow, resulting in humid air, frequent frontal passages, and changeable conditions. Rain is expected intermittently over the next two weeks.
Forecasts suggest this unstable pattern will persist. While brief periods of high pressure are possible, a stable high-pressure system is not currently anticipated. The change is particularly pronounced in the mountains.
The western Alps, specifically the Unterwallis, as well as the Freiburger and Waadtländer Alps and Haute-Savoie, could observe up to a meter of new snow above 1500 to 1800 meters by the weekend. “The intensity decreases towards the east,” Wick stated. Up to 80 centimeters is expected in the Bernese Oberland, 40 to 60 centimeters in Central and Eastern Switzerland, and around 20 to 40 centimeters in Graubünden.
The snow line is fluctuating, having temporarily risen before dropping to around 1200 meters. Locally, snow may even fall to lower elevations on Saturday evening and overnight. Simultaneously, the avalanche risk is increasing sharply. “New snow and strong winds are creating dangerous accumulations of wind-drifted snow,” Wick warned, advising against skiing or snowboarding off-piste.
The lowlands will also experience unsettled weather. Strong westerly winds with gusts up to 60 km/h, and even 80 km/h in higher locations, are expected on Wednesday and Thursday. Up to 50 liters of rain per square meter is forecast by Friday morning, with potentially higher amounts in the west.
Wick indicated that no significant improvement in the weather is expected next week. “All current weather models show an unstable westerly flow with rain, snow, and occasional wind for the coming week,” he said.
