Swiss October weather warmer and drier than average

The October weather was a bit too warm and there wasn’t much rain Keystone-SDA

The average temperature in Switzerland in October was eight degrees Celcius, which was 1.4 degrees above the reference period from 1991 to 2020.

But the tempertaures were some distance off record highs, said the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss).

Average October temperatures are so far ranked 11th warmest since records began in 1864. The warmest October on record was in 2022, with an average temperature of 10.4 degrees.

October 2026 saw below-average rainfall until shortly before the end of the month. There was more rain in the Jura region as far as Basel, but cantons Graubünden, Valais, the southern side of the Alps and the Engadin recorded precipitation deficits, some of which were considerable.

In terms of sunshine duration, many regions of Switzerland failed to match the 1991–2020 average in October. Only Ticino and the centre of the country recorded more hours of sunshine by comparison.

Autumn colours earlier

Following the record-breaking heat and drought during the summer half-year of 2026, vegetation reacted differently in October to cooler temperatures and scattered rainfall.

Drought stress had already led to colour change and leaf fall in some regions by late summer, but the ‘true’ autumnal colour change set in later than usual.

The premature leaf colour change was observed among beech trees, hornbeams, lime trees, horse chestnuts, birches and fruit trees by about three to four weeks.

The partial recovery in early October resembled a ‘second spring’ in some places. For example, a second flush of leaves and flowering was observed regionally on some apple and pear trees. Spring-flowering plants such as daisies and knapweed also produced a second flush of flowers.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.