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Heatwave latest: No relief as Switzerland continues to swelter

The Local
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Heatwave latest: No relief as Switzerland continues to swelter
Cooling down in Geneva. File photo: AFP

Switzerland’s heatwave is set to continue on Thursday after a hot Wednesday during which a number of record maximum highs were recorded.

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Both Basel and Bern could see highs of 37C today, while the forecast maximum for Geneva and Zurich is 36C.

A level 4 alert (severe danger) for hot weather remains in place for the Basel region, for central Valais and for the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino.

Read also: Working in a heatwave - the Swiss laws employees should know about

“Today will be just as hot as yesterday,” said a spokesperson for private weather service MeteoNews of the conditions on Thursday.

A live weather map showing current temperatures in Geneva. Image: Swisstopo

Meanwhile, the highest temperature reached in Switzerland yesterday was 36.6C at the Oberwil Weierbrüggli weather station in the canton of Basel-Landschaft.

Basel itself saw a maximum of 35.9C while Sion in canton Valais came in just behind with 35.8C.

Hottest temperature ever recorded in Scuol

And Scuol in Graubünden saw its hottest day ever – 33.3C. The Säntis mountain in eastern Switzerland’s Alpstein massif also saw a new all-time high temperature of 21C, as did Grächen in canton Valais (30.8C).

With a maximum of 29.8C, the mountain resort of Davos also had its warmest day since records began.

In addition, 43 weather stations saw new June records yesterday, among them the Zurich Affoltern station where 35.5C was recorded. The Bern Zollikofen station also saw a new June record with 34.3C registered, according to MeteoSwiss.

Temperatures in many parts of Switzerland also remained high on Wednesday night. In Vevey, in canton Vaud, the thermometer did not dip below 25.3C.

‘Hot weather budget for school kids’

Despite the high temperatures in Switzerland, schools remain open, although school authorities are finding innovative ways to deal with the heat. In Adliswil in canton Zurich, teachers have been given a budget of 10 Swiss francs per student to use towards activities like going to the pool or for ice creams for children.

On Wednesday, a school in Kappel am Albis, also in canton Zurich, announced children would not have to attend classes Thursday citing the long bike ride that many students would have to make in the heat.

But cantonal school authorities objected, saying the school had a duty of care to its students. The Kappel am Albis school then backtracked and said classes would go ahead with a bus service provided for students who would usually ride.

Read also: Why Swiss kids still have to go to school during heatwaves

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