The national average October temperature is currently 8.5 °C (as of October 29, 2024). This means that October is currently 1.8 °C above the 1991-2020 norm. This ranks 7th in the list of the warmest October months since measurements began in 1864. Last year, 2023, was the second warmest October since measurements began, at 3.1 °C above the norm, and the year before that, 2022, was the warmest October since measurements began, at 3.8 °C above the norm.
In Andermatt, Elm and Château-d’Oex, with temperatures around 2.5 to 3 °C above the 1991-2020 norm, 3rd to 4th place in the list of the warmest October months since measurements began is expect.
On the southern side of the Alps, October 2024 ranks 12th in the list of the warmest October months since measurements began in 1864, with temperatures 1.5 °C above the norm (regional average).
In today’s climate in Switzerland, October is on average 3.6 °C warmer than during the pre-industrial reference period 1871–1900 (r climate trend in Figure 1).
Line graph showing October temperatures in Switzerland
Fig. 1: The October temperature in Switzerland since measurements began in 1864. It is currently 8.5 °C. This is 1.8 °C above the 1991–2020 norm (green dash line). The r line shows the climate trend. The r dash lines show the blurriness of the climate trend. As of October 29, 2024.
Persistently rainy and cloudy
October was dominat by low pressure until the last third of the month. After a cool and wet start to the month, mild and mostly humid air flow into Switzerland from the west and especially the southwest from October 7th. Rain fell on many days and the sun hardly appear or only for a short time in large areas. On the southern side of the Alps, in the Valais and in the Engadine, there were at least a few days with sunny or fairly sunny conditions.
The persistent rainy and cloudy weather was only interrupt on October 21st, when a sunny day was record for the first time this month in a large part of Switzerland. However, there was fog in the Mittelland in the lithuania mobile database morning and dust clouds hung along the mountains on the southern side of the Alps.
Heavy rainfall in the south
While precipitation fell intermittently and in rather small amounts on the northern side of the Alps and in the Alps, southerly foehn conditions brought persistent and sometimes heavy precipitation on the southern side of the Alps from October 7 to 10, from October 16 to 20 and from October 23 to 27.
Warm October nights
The southerly foehn brought several warm October nights to the foehn valleys on the northern side of the Alps. In Altdorf, the temperature was above 20 °C or even above 22 °C for long periods on the nights of 7/8, 9/10, 16/17 and 17/18 October. On the night of 16 October, the temperature rose to a maximum of 24.6 °C towards morning. However, in this case the foehn only broke through in the second half of the night and only blew for a short time.
weather change
After two days of persistent fog over the lowlands on the northern side of the Alps, an Atlantic high expand into the Alpine region on October 27th. On the northern side of the Alps, the autumnal fog dissipat in many places and there was widespread sunny and mild conditions. On the southern side of the Alps, the precipitation end and from the 28th there was sunny weather here too.
The sunny and mild high pressure weather outside the foggy the differences between domain name and trademark areas remain until the end of the month.
Indian summer
Bar graph showing sunshine duration in October in Arosa.
Fig. 2: The duration of sunshine in October in Arosa since be numbers measurements began in 1901, shown in % of the 1991−2020 norm (as of October 28, 2024).
Northern Lights and Comet
As was the case from May 10th to 11th, 2024, magnificent northern lights could once again be observ in Switzerland from October 10th to 11th, 2024. However, a bit of luck was ne, as in many places there were quite dense clouds from a cold front, which limit the view of the colorful night sky.