Weather Former hurricane "Kirk" brings wind and rain to Switzerland

Strong winds and heavy rain are expected in Switzerland during the night into Thursday and on Thursday itself. MeteoSwiss attributes this to the former hurricane "Kirk".

As the "Kirk" depression approaches, strong pressure will initially set in north of the Alps, writes MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, in a blog. A southerly foehn situation set in.

By the evening hours on Thursday, a pressure difference of up to twelve hectopascals will build up between Lugano TI and Kloten ZH. This will be the foehn maximum. Wind peaks of 70 to 100 kilometers per hour are expected in the Alpine valleys, and even up to 130 kilometers per hour over the Alpine ridges.

According to the meteorologists, a cold front will pass north of the Alps during the night. This is also likely to lead to gale-force winds in the Jura and the lowlands.

According to the blog, wind speeds of up to 130 kilometers per hour are possible over the heights of the Jura. In the lowlands, maximum speeds of 60 to 90 kilometers per hour are expected - from west to east after midnight. The wind should die down again by the morning hours, according to MeteoSwiss.