Clothing for Switzerland late May to early June
A traveler is planning a trip from Zurich to Neuchatel on May 26 and 27, then heading to Zermatt and beyond to Innsbruck, Salzburg, and Garmisch. They’re unsure about whether to pack shorts and short-sleeve shirts, given the potential for varying weather conditions. Helpful packing advice is needed to manage their backpack efficiently.
- Expect chilly and unpredictable weather in May, especially in mountainous areas like Zermatt, so pack long trousers and layers.
- In Salzburg, good rain gear and waterproof shoes are essential due to its wet climate.
- Check the weather daily as conditions can change rapidly; snow can occur even when temperatures seem mild.
- Consider the altitude effects on weather; temperatures drop as you go higher, which may surprise you.
AI-generated summary-
I will be traveling Zurich to Neuchatel, May 26&27. Then onto Zermat. (Matterhorn G. Paridise) / {GE. to St. Moritz} Innsbruck, Salzburg, Garmish, {Zugspitze}) I have a weather app. & taking note of this forum, I know I will need thin dri-fit layers, rain gear, etc. BUT, with this itinerary, am I being neive to think I will be able to wear shorts & short sleeve shirts in the trains & towns!!? Thank you for any advise to limit my back packing.
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Hi peterzier,
Your understanding of the special requirements for mountain top visits is correct. But whether you’ll be able to be dressed in shorts and shirts down in the valleys and towns is very hard to predict. If you’re lucky weather is very comfortable by late May/early June, but it can still be chilly, rainy and windy. Note that Zermatt is at high altitude, so temperatues are relatively low there. I’d surely pack some long trousers and (light fleece) sweaters too if I were you. Please find more information at myswissalps.com/weathe r.
Thank you for the information. I will limit the shorts and short-sleeve shirts. What confuses me, I see in Innsbruck Salzburg Garmisch temperatures today and tomorrow in the sixties/ forties with 30 and 50% chance of snow showers/ mix? I thought it has to be below 32.?
if anybody is in Austria Germany now or has been during the late October time, please inform me of how you need to dress in these areas. Thank you.
Hi Peterzier,
Salzburg has a reputation for being wet, so good rain gear including waterproof shoes are essential. I’ve been there in both summer and winter and spent a lot of the time under an umberella. From memory, Garmisch is higher than either Innsbruck or Salzburg and should be a bit colder.
Snow fall is not dependant on the temperature at ground level, but at cloud level. Temperature decreases 1 Deg C for every 100 mtrs of altitude, so it is entirely possible to get snow showers in the valleys when conditions at altitude are right. Grindelwald had string of sunny days last month, the crocuces had bloomed, then last week got 40 cms of snow overnight. Mountains make their own weather.
Alan
Thanks for the additional info. I figured the cooler temps for snow were at mountain tops. I will prepare for the wet weather, but invision sunny balmy shorts weather~!
Hope for the best – prepare for the worst 🙂
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