Cold front leads to record-low temperatures in Switzerland

MeteoSwiss expected another five to 15cm of fresh snow by Saturday evening, especially on the eastern northern slopes of the Alps above 1,400 to 1,800m. Keystone-SDA

Friday's cold front caused record temperatures and closed mountain passes. The snow line was between 1,200 and 1,500 metres on Saturday, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, or MeteoSwiss, reported.

The Pragel Pass between the cantons of Glarus and Schwyz was closed early on Saturday morning, according to the website of the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS). The Klausen, Furka, Gotthard, Grimsel, Flüela, Susten and Nufenen passes, which were already closed on Friday due to snowfall, remained closed.

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MeteoSwiss expected another five to 15cm of fresh snow by Saturday evening, especially on the eastern northern slopes of the Alps above 1,400 to 1,800m.

First hot, then cold

The low temperatures led to records in some places on Friday. Since measurements began, the maximum values in the first half of September had never been so low locally, MeteoSwiss reported on X.

+ Swiss glaciers remain under threat despite huge winter snowfall

In Glarus, MeteoSwiss recorded a high of 7.8°C. The previous record for the first half of September was a high of 8.5°C. The value for Glarus is particularly astonishing. Just a week ago, this measuring station had recorded a new September high of 30.6°C.

MeteoSwiss also recorded the lowest maximum values ever measured in the first half of September in Meiringen and Interlaken in canton Bern, Altdorf in Uri, Engelberg in Obwalden and on the Jungfraujoch. On the Jungfraujoch, for example, the maximum temperature was -11.8°C. According to MeteoSwiss, the previous record was around one degree warmer.

Translated from German by DeepL/gw

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