Switzerland experienced hottest, sunniest year ever in 2022

Warm temperatures led to a record 6% loss of glacier mass in Switzerland last year. © Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

The extreme hot weather shattered records in Switzerland last year, marking 2022 as the warmest and sunniest since records began in 1864.

The average temperature climbed to 7.4 degrees Celsius last year from an average 5.8 degrees between 1991 and 2020, the Swiss environment ministry reported on Monday.

This resulted in glaciers losing six percent of their mass – or three cubic kilometres – which is the fastest melt recorded in one year.

A string of sweltering temperatures saw a reading of 38.3 degrees in Geneva in August. Only the heatwave of 2003 saw hotter daily temperatures.

Several lakes saw water levels fall to record lows while other watercourses and springs dried up before being revived by late summer rainfall.

A total of 131 forest fires were reported, which is above the recent annual average of 109.

The months of May until September witnessed 474 heat-related deaths, which is the worst death toll since the 1,402 in 2003.

The figures were released on the same day as the Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reported concerns at high sea temperatures and the loss of Antarctic ice.

The WMO could not predict the impact of El Niño on the rising temperature patterns.