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WEATHER

Switzerland to enjoy spring-like temperatures this weekend

Temperatures in Switzerland could reach a spring-like 15C over the weekend as a high pressure system dominates weather across the country.

Published: 15 February 2019 18:27 CET
Switzerland to enjoy spring-like temperatures this weekend
The fine weather conditions could continue up to March. File photo: AFP

Switzerland has already been enjoying a respite from the winter in recent days, with frosty mornings giving way to relatively mild, bright afternoons.

There are other signs of spring's approach too, with many people out in their gardens pruning and cutting in readiness for the new season.

And the good weather looks set to continue over the weekend with highs of 10–15C possible and very little fog, according to private weather service Meteonews.

Temperatures at 2,000 metres will also be warm at 7-8C, meaning perfect skiing weather, although Meteonews spokesperson Klaus Marquardt said conditions on the pistes will be best in the morning while snow is still compact.

The good weather is set to last until at least the middle of next week. A brief rainy spell is then possible with temperatures dipping to a colder 7-8C.

But that should be followed by another high pressure system.

“Winter is on the defensive, and early spring is dominant. This is expected to last until at least the start of March,” said Marquardt.

 

WEATHER

Will Switzerland be visited by ‘Ice Saints’ this year?

Ascension is not the only annual happening in the country in May, as Switzerland also ‘celebrates’ another 'chilling' event this month.

Published: 8 May 2024 14:20 CEST
Will Switzerland be visited by 'Ice Saints' this year?

From May 11th to the 15th, a meteorological event takes place each year in Switzerland.

It “observes”, though admittedly not on scientific basis, a centuries-old weather phenomenon called “Ice Saints”.

What exactly is it?

As its name suggests, it is related to saints, as well as ice and frost.

The saints in question are St Mamertus, St Pancras, St Servatius and St Boniface.

According to a weather lore, once these Ice Saints have passed through Switzerland in the middle of May, frost will no longer pose a threat to farmers and their land.

As the official government meteorological service MeteoSwiss explains it, “spring frosts have been a regular occurrence for centuries, giving rise to the traditional belief that a blast of cold air often arrives in the middle of May. Over time, this piece of weather lore became known as the Ice Saints.”

Fact versus myth

You may be wondering whether the Ice Saints lore actually has basis in reality.

Records, which date back to 1965 and originate from the Geneva-Cointrin, Payerne, and Zurich-Kloten weather stations, “clearly show that, over the long-term average, frost directly above the soil is only a regular occurrence up until the middle of April”, MeteoSwiss says. “After that, the frequency with which ground frost occurs progressively declines to almost zero by the end of May.”

“We can conclude, therefore, that there is no evidence in Switzerland to confirm the Ice Saints as a period in May when ground frost is more common.”

However, MeteoSwiss does concede that “ground frost is nevertheless a regular occurrence throughout May as a whole…having occurred at least once or twice in May every year, and in around 40 percent of the years there were more than two days in May with ground frost.”

What about this year?

MeteoSwiss weather forecast for the next seven days indicates that, this year too, no frost will be present on the ground in mid-May.

In fact, temperatures through much of Switzerland will be in double digits, reaching between 18C and 25C, depending on the region.

You can see what to expect in your area, here. 

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