Parts of Switzerland set for record high temperatures over New Year weekend

Winter wonderland? Skiing? New Year's snow? Not a chance. In fact, the coming days will see T-shirt weather in much of Switzerland rather than typical turn-of-the-year temperatures. 

Forecasts show some parts of the country are set to see up to 18C at the weekend.

Locally, weather records could be broken on New Year's Eve, according to Meteonews.

The thermometer is expected to rise the most around Basel, where it is estimated to be about 17C on Saturday December 31st.

Meteorologist Roger Perret said: "It will be in the range of the warmest New Year's Eve since measurements began."

In Kloten, Zurich, the previous New Year's Eve record was measured in 2017 where it was 13.8C then. "This year, 13 to 14C is expected there," said Perret.

In Kloten, however, measurements are still relatively new, the meteorologist explained. But in Basel, where weather measurements have been taken since 1897, the picture is similar: the New Year's Eve record there is 16.4C. The expected temperatures for New Year's Eve this year in Basel is between 16.4 and 16.9C - or maybe even higher.

Basel is closely followed by Chur, where 16C is forecast. Even high altitudes are seeing higher temperatures. On the 2,502-metre-high Säntis it is expected to be around 4C.

Plus the sun will be shining most of the time - almost like spring.

MeteoNews said in a tweet: "One of the mildest, if not the mildest New Year's Eve and New Year's Day looms in the north, with around 12 to 17C." 

Einer der mildesten, wenn nicht der mildeste #Silvester und #Neujahrstag zeichnen sich im Norden ab, es gibt etwa 12 bis 17 Grad. Mehr dazu und zum Wetter in dieser Woche sowie der aktuellen #Schneelage in den Alpen im heutigen Blog unter https://t.co/fd0vXwnz3B (rp) pic.twitter.com/r7f59ZACcK

— MeteoNews Schweiz (@MeteoNewsAG) December 27, 2022

No real winter feeling (except at very high altitudes) 

So what does it look like on New Year's Day? A little, but not much cooler than the day before. The temperatures are forecast to still be in the double-digit plus range, in Basel, Geneva and Chur - but also in Zurich, where it's forecast to be 14-16C.

In fact, it's only in the south of the country where the situation is slightly different. Because of the dense fog it will be much cooler, especially on New Year's Day, reaching about 9-10C. However, even these temperatures are high for the time of the year. 

At the beginning of next week, the weather will be changeable and temperatures will drop. However, it's not expected to be really chilly, and there is no snow in sight at low altitudes.

For winter sports enthusiasts, this isn't the best news. Mild temperatures, wind and rain have largely eliminated snow at medium altitudes. Weather experts said there are remnants of snow at altitudes between 1,500 and 1,800 metres.

Above 1,800 to 2,000 metres, however, there is currently a widespread blanket of snow. And slopes above 2,000 metres can offer ski lovers good conditions even at the turn of the year. In these spots there is currently 30 to 50 cm of snow - or even up to 100cm in parts of the Alps.