The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwissExternal link warned that temperatures this week in the Lake Geneva region and the southern canton of Valais would reach 31-35 degrees Celsius (88-95 degrees Fahrenheit).
This content was published on
2 minutes
SDA-ATS/cl
Even the northern Basel region will not be spared, having been assigned a level 3 out of 5 on the danger scale, along with the southern canton of Ticino. The evening hours will offer no respite, with night-time temperatures set to exceed 20 degrees.
A region can be said to be experiencing a heatwave when temperatures reach 30 degrees for at least three consecutive days, according to MeteoNews. The weather service added that the Swiss National Day on August 1, which falls on Wednesday this week, could well be the hottest day of the year.
In many cantons and municipalities, fireworks have been prohibited to varying degrees – in some cases private displays only, and in others, public shows as well. Fireworks will be in shorter supply at any rate: Swiss retailers Coop and Migros announced they would halt sales of the devices at the end of last week.
Swiss army on standby for farms and forest fires
Dryness will continue to accompany the heat in general, with only isolated local storms predicted, according to the weather service of Swiss Public Television, SRF Meteo.
A spokesperson for the Swiss Defence Ministry confirmed on Sunday to the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper that the Swiss Air Force has been called upon by cattle farmers five times since July 20 to intervene in the cantons of St Gallen, Appenzell Inner-Rhodes and Glarus by delivering water to dry pastures via helicopter. Two more deliveries are anticipated in the coming days.
Peter Bruns, a Swiss Air Force colonel, told the SonntagsZeitung that a helicopter is also at the ready in canton Ticino to be deployed at any moment in case it is needed to help extinguish a forest fire. Other fire brigades in canton Graubünden are taking similar precautions by storing water in tanks in dry places.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign affairs
Go to war or stay put? Ukrainian men in Switzerland face fresh dilemmas
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Swiss to reduce administrative burden on farms from 2026
This content was published on
From 2026, the number of inspections of farms is to be reduced, without any loss of quality, said economics minister Guy Parmelin.
Swiss insurance boss proposes Singapore-style healthcare system
This content was published on
CEO of Swiss health insurer Sanitas has said that healthcare costs could be reduced if Switzerland were to follow the Singapore model.
Swiss minister talks crime and security in visit to the Netherlands
This content was published on
Swiss justice minister Beat Jans spent two days in the Netherlands discussing security, police cooperation and justice with international bodies.
Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland
This content was published on
Copper and zinc can be expected to accumulate in the soil, particularly if farmyard manure is used for several years and is greater than the amount of nutrients absorbed by the grass. This was announced by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on Friday. The findings are based on the results of the seventh National Soil Monitoring of Switzerland (Nabo).
Lilo Baur wins Swiss Grand Prix for performing arts
This content was published on
The Swiss actress and theatre director Lilo Baur has received this year's Swiss Grand Prix for Performing Arts, also known as the Hans Reinhart Ring.
Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland
This content was published on
A Kurdish supporter of the Islamist terrorist network al-Qaeda can stay in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled. It has withdrawn the annulment of the man’s provisional admission.
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has closed criminal proceedings relating to the Swiss owners affected by the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.
This content was published on
The employment outlook in Switzerland will remain stable towards the end of 2024, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.
Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault
This content was published on
A former Miss Switzerland candidate has accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in New York in 1993. The US Republican candidate’s campaign team has denied the accusations.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss summer driest since 1921
This content was published on
While the years 2003 and 2015 were also parched, the dry spell this year started earlier, stretching back into the Spring. There has not been so little rainfall between the start of April to the middle of July for nearly 100 years, reports Swiss public television SRF. Several cantons have banned open fires – a…
Swiss railway field tests white paint to keep tracks from buckling
This content was published on
The Rhaetian Railway in the eastern canton of Graubünden is testing a technique commonly used in Italy to fight the distorting effects of heat on metal.
This content was published on
MeteoSwiss has issued a heat warning for the Italian-speaking region of Ticino, as the country continues to suffer the effects of the heat.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.