v256.0 · climate · CH · verified 2026-04
Switzerland climate profile
Climate profile for Switzerland — Köppen climate zones, seasonal temperature + rainfall, humidity, extreme weather, climate-change trajectory, air quality, best months for visiting + relocation, water security, and recent climate-policy changes.
Climate classification (Köppen)
Highly varied for small country — Oceanic (Cfb) north/Plateau · Continental (Dfb) east/inner alpine · Mediterranean-like (Cfa) Ticino south · Alpine (ET) high mountains
Temperature + rainfall by season
| Winter temperatures | Zurich: 1°C avg (-3 to 4°C) · Geneva: 3°C (0-6°C) · Lugano: 4°C (1-8°C, mildest) · Bern: 0°C (-3 to 4°C) · Zermatt: -7°C (-12 to 0°C, alpine) · Davos: -5°C (-10 to 1°C, alpine) |
| Summer temperatures | Zurich: 18°C avg (13-24°C) · Geneva: 19°C (14-25°C) · Lugano: 22°C (17-27°C) · Bern: 17°C (12-23°C) · Zermatt: 10°C (5-16°C, alpine) · Davos: 12°C (6-17°C, alpine) |
| Annual rainfall | Zurich: 1,090 mm · Geneva: 1,000 mm · Lugano: 1,560 mm (most precipitation, Mediterranean storms) · Bern: 1,050 mm · Zermatt: 690 mm · Davos: 1,000 mm |
| Humidity | Plateau 70-85% · Inner alpine 50-70% · Ticino 60-75% · Year-round consistent |
Climate zones within the country
Plateau (Zurich, Bern, Geneva) — oceanic-continental · Alps inner — alpine cold · Jura — cool · Ticino south — Mediterranean-influenced, warmer/wetter · Engadine + Davos — high-alpine continental
Extreme weather + risks
| Extreme weather events | Generally low · Alpine landslides + avalanches winter (sport zones) · Flooding occasional (2023 Valais, 2024 Bavaria/Austria/Switzerland summer floods) · Severe summer thunderstorms · No major earthquakes (low risk) · Glacier-fall risk warming-related |
| Air quality | Generally excellent · Zurich/Geneva PM2.5 ~9 µg/m³ (above WHO target 5) · Foehn wind episodes clearing air · Some winter inversion Plateau · Alpine pristine |
| Water security | Excellent — abundant alpine water · Climate-Change-driven concern: glacier-melt declining + summer-flow reducing · Hydropower 60% of electricity affected |
Climate change trajectory
Annual mean +2.0°C since 1864 (warming faster than global) · Projected +2-5°C by 2100 · Glaciers losing 6% per year recently (Aletsch, Morteratsch) · Snow line rising · Tree line rising · Ticino weather-pattern shifts
Best months for visiting + relocation
| Best for visiting | May-Sep alpine + lake season · Jun-Sep highest peaks · Dec-Apr ski season · Apr + Oct shoulder |
| Best for relocation | Apr-Sep arrival ideal |
Recent changes (2023-2026)
2024-25: Summer 2024 alpine floods (Valais, Tessin) · Glacier-mass-balance records continuing decline · Climate Action 2050 net-zero · Pillar Two QDMTT effective Jan 2024 · No significant climate-policy reversals
Source: official Switzerland meteorological agency · Last verified 2026-04
See also: Switzerland country profile · climate atlas