[Removed user]

30 June 2019 at 13:03:53 #822566

Greetings!

I am heading to Switzerland from 14 Jul to 26 Jul and heard about the heatwave affecting the country so just want to know if there is any expectation on how bad the heat is during my time here

Thanks in advance!

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[Removed user]

30 June 2019 at 13:15:34 #916511

Hello Zhengi1 and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

Nice to hear you’re coming to Switzerland.

At the moment it’s 36 degree Celsius here outside where I am, so very hot for Switzerland. Too hot for some, and quite ok for others.. 🙂

It’s hard to say what the weather will be like in two weeks time. Keep an eye on the weather using below link and the MeteoSWISS App you’ll find in the second one:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/we ather/forecast
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ab outswitzerland/practic al/websites

The very nice thing about hot days in Switzerland is that there are lots of clean lakes and rivers in the country, offering some cooling and also there are lots of fountains with drinkable water to keep you hydrated. I wouldn’t worry. If it’s too hot for you simply head to higher altitudes, the mountains offer the most beautiful and natural air-conditioning you can imagine.

Best,
Steph

[pvonk]

30 June 2019 at 18:50:16 #916512

Wow… that’s 96.8 degrees for us “across the pond”.

[Removed user]

30 June 2019 at 19:02:38 #916513

Zhengi1– I can’t offer a weather prognostication for this July, but last July I was there, also during a nearly-unprecedented heatwave, for a month of hiking. Here are my suggestions for dealing with the heat in the Swiss Alps, bearing in mind that few hotels in Switz have air conditioning:

1. As Steph suggests, get high and stay there. Try to book Berghotels that are at elevation, rather than staying in towns in the valleys. As you may know, on average, temperatures drop by almost 7 degrees C for every 1000 meter increase in elevation.

2.Try to get a hotel room on the ground floor, or as low of a floor as can be arranged. Definitely avoid the top floor, which tends to be the hottest. Also avoid west- and south-facing rooms.

3. Do your hiking as early in the day as you can manage. Ideally, you will want to be off the trail by 2 PM. This also allows you to miss the biggest crowds, which tend to sleep in. Unfortunately, some Swiss hotels do not begin serving breakfast until the leisurely hour of 8 AM, which does sometimes make it difficult to get off early.

4.When covering a lot of ground in a day, try to hike from West to East, rather than E- W. By going W- E, you have the morning sun in your face, which is usually welcome, while the hot afternoon sun is at your back.

5. Wear a broad-brimmed hat that you can dunk into streams and keep cool.

6. If things get to be a bit much, there is no shame in taking a lift.

Good luck.

NTL