Winter wave rolls over Switzerland Now it's snowing all the way to the lowlands
After a period of calm weather in Switzerland, a significant change in the weather is on the horizon. A powerful high-altitude low called "Max" will bring colder temperatures, rain and snowfall.
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- High-altitude low "Max" brings falling temperatures and snowfall down to 600 meters.
- Up to 40 liters of rain per square meter or up to 35 centimeters of fresh snow will fall in the Alps.
- Next week will decide whether cold or mild air dominates Switzerland.
After a quiet phase of high pressure, the weather in Switzerland will now become more turbulent again. A small but powerful low-pressure system moving from the English Channel across northern Germany towards the Alps will bring significant weather changes.
As Meteo Switzerland reports, it will not only bring gale-force winds and colder temperatures, but also heavy rain and snow.
On Thursday, persistent rain will begin in the lowlands and continue throughout Friday. While 10 to 20 liters of rain per square meter are expected on the Central Plateau, up to 40 liters per square meter may fall in the Alpine foothills and the Alps.
Due to the influx of cold polar air from the north, the snow line will drop rapidly - from an initial 1500 meters to around 600 meters. According to estimates by the Swiss Avalanche Research Institute, the amount of snow in the mountains will be considerable: 10 to 15 cm on Thursday, then another 15 to 20 cm on Friday.
Temperatures fall to wintry levels
With the colder air, temperatures will also drop significantly. Between Friday and Sunday, daily highs will only rise to just above freezing, which means a real drop in temperatures after the past few mild weeks.
While "Max" moves southwards at the weekend - first to Italy, then on to the Aegean - the weather situation in Switzerland remains exciting.
Uncertainties for the coming week
Meteorologists disagree on how the weather situation will develop after the departure of "Max". According to current model forecasts, Switzerland lies right on the border between very cold continental air from Russia and milder Atlantic air.
According to Meteo Switzerland, it is difficult to make a reliable forecast, as the smallest shifts in pressure areas can have a major impact on the weather.
Long-term weather forecasts should therefore be treated with caution at present. For reliable forecasts, you should limit yourself to a maximum period of two to three days.
