Jungfrau Zeitung – Warmest and sunniest year since measurements began
weather | December 23, 2022
With an average annual temperature of 7.4 degrees, the current year in Switzerland is 1.6 degrees above the average of the last 30 years, according to the latest calculations by the Federal Office for Meteorology (Meteoschweiz).
In 2022, people will seek water to cool off.Photo: Keystone, Anthony Anex
That is over half a degree more than in 2018 – the warmest year recorded in Switzerland to date. Apart from September, which brought slightly below-average temperatures across the country, all months in 2022 were too warm, MeteoSwiss announced on Thursday. In October, the temperature was even 3.8 degrees above the average for the last 30 years.
On the southern side of the Alps, the second mildest winter since measurements began was recorded locally. followed by the country’s fourth mildest spring. According to MeteoSwiss, the heat continued with the country’s second warmest summer since measurements began in 1864. Only the legendary hot summer of 2003 delivered more heat.
sun and drought
According to MeteoSwiss, the year 2022 will also be very sunny. Three of the four measuring locations with more than 120 years of data series – Geneva, Basel and Zurich – registered the sunniest year since the beginning of the measurement. Several measurement locations with measurement series from 1961 also report first place. The measuring station in Geneva is particularly striking. This mass 150 hours of sunshine more than in the previous record year.
In regions, multiple drought was a problem. On the southern side of the Alps, precipitation totals are below average in all four seasons. There was little precipitation throughout Switzerland in spring and summer. On a nationwide average, 2022 is one of the ten years with the least precipitation.