Record November Snowfall Sparks Disruptions Across Switzerland

Switzerland experienced significant disruptions as a result of heavy snowfall that set records for November in multiple locations throughout the German-speaking regions of the country. The Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss, confirmed these record snow levels on Friday, highlighting the widespread impact of the winter weather.

According to MeteoSwiss, 42 centimeters of fresh snow were recorded in Lucerne, while Glarus reported 36 centimeters. Both Zurich and Basel measured 28 centimeters, matching the highest levels of November snow cover previously recorded in those areas. Other regions, such as Engelberg in canton Obwalden and Andermatt in canton Uri, received substantial snowfalls of 42 and 45 centimeters, respectively. Bosco Gurin in north-western Ticino experienced the heaviest snowfall, with 58 centimeters.

The snowfall, attributed to a low-pressure system named Caetano that passed directly over Switzerland, began on Thursday afternoon and persisted through the night into Friday. Significant winds accompanied the system, especially at higher altitudes, with the Jungfraujoch recording wind speeds of 198 km/h.

The severe weather conditions caused traffic chaos across various regions. Many places reported numerous accidents, and public transport faced significant challenges. However, by Saturday morning, services in areas such as Basel and Bern began returning to normal as conditions improved. In Bern, streetcars gradually resumed their schedules, and in Basel, all bus and tram lines were operational once again.

Despite normalizing transport in certain areas, temperatures remained frigid, particularly in the high Alps and well-known cold-air lakes. MeteoNews, a private weather service, reported some of the lowest temperatures in Buffalora/Ofenpass in the Engadine at minus 18.6 degrees Celsius. Other affected areas included Corvatsch GR at minus 18.1 degrees and Jungfraujoch at minus 16.5 degrees. Yet, not all regions experienced freezing temperatures, as Altenrhein SG and Le Bouveret VS on Lake Geneva registered slightly above zero, at 2.7 and 2.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.

With the unusual weather and its impacts, Swiss residents are advised to expect potential light Föhn winds in the alpine valleys as Saturday progresses, which could alter temperature dynamics in the region.