No relief from the current drought is expected

While thunderstorms have lashed the Alpine ridge, they have brought little relief to drought-stricken Switzerland. Now, federal authorities warn that another heatwave is likely to arrive by the middle of next week.

Since July 23, people have been talking about the
“dog days”. This term, which derives from the constellation Canis Major, traditionally refers to the hottest period of the summer. It lasts until 23 August, as explained in a blog post by Meteoschweiz.

The dog days will live up to expectations next week. Whilst temperatures over the weekend were in line with the July average, an exceptional heatwave is once again on the cards from the middle of next week, triggered by increasing high-pressure influence and subtropical hot air.

According to forecasts by Meteoschweiz, maximum temperatures of up to 37 degrees are expected from Wednesday onwards in western and German-speaking Switzerland.

Drought persists

According to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the widespread drought is unlikely to ease significantly, despite some expected thunderstorms. There are still no signs of a prolonged, widespread period of rainfall.

The situation is particularly acute from the Jura to the Basel region and further into the Mittelland. Over the past 30 days, there have been deviations of up to 70 per cent from the normal value in these areas. No significant rainfall is expected for the second half of August either.

According to the FOEN, water levels in Switzerland’s lakes and rivers have fallen further due to the drought. Lake Constance, Lake Walen, Lake Lucerne, Lake Zurich and Lake Maggiore are particularly affected. In the case of the latter, the water level has fallen by over a metre since mid-June.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.