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Snow cover in Switzerland is becoming thinner, less widespread and less persistent \u2013 especially at low and medium elevations. <\/p>\n
Keystone \/ Urs Flueeler <\/p>\n
Switzerland is among the countries most affected by climate change. What impacts does this have on everyday life and on the landscape? We explain it with five key figures.\n<\/p>\n
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May 7, 2026 – 09:00\n<\/p>\n
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\n I cover climate change and energy through reportages, articles, interviews and in-depth reports. I am interested in the impacts of global warming on everyday life and solutions for an emission-free planet.
\nPassionate about travel and discovery, I studied biology and other natural sciences. I have been a journalist for SWI swissinfo.ch for more than 20 years. <\/p>\n
Climate change is transforming Switzerland. Heatwaves, droughts and heavy rainfall are becoming increasingly frequent and intense<\/a>. Summers tend to be drier, and winter snowfall less abundant than in the past. The melting of glaciers and permafrost is intensifying natural hazards, especially in\u00a0Alpine regions.<\/p>\n According to a new reportExternal link<\/a> from the Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences (SCNAT), Switzerland is warming at a rate about 2.2 times higher than the global average.<\/p>\n The report, published in April with contributions from around 60 experts, summarises the most up\u2011to\u2011date scientific knowledge on Switzerland\u2019s climate.<\/p>\n >>Extreme heat and drought are Switzerland\u2019s top climate change risks:<\/p>\n Five figures from the new SCNAT report help illustrate the scale of climate change in Switzerland.<\/p>\n 2.8\u00b0C average temperature increase<\/p>\n The average global temperature between 2015 and 2024 increased by about 1.2\u00b0C compared with pre\u2011industrial levels. The increase was 2.2\u00b0C in Europe and 2.8\u00b0C in Switzerland, SCNAT reports. Global warming is mainly caused by rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to the consumption of fossil fuels.<\/p>\n Switzerland is among the ten countries warming the fastest in the world<\/a>. There are two main reasons for this stronger\u2011than\u2011average warming: Switzerland\u2019s geographical position on land (which warms faster than the oceans) and the reduction of snow and glacier cover. Exposed surfaces, such as soil and rock uncovered by retreating glaciers, tend to absorb more heat, accelerating overall warming across the country.<\/p>\n Other possible causes include changes in atmospheric circulation, drier soils in summer and reduced air pollution. Although the effect is limited, cleaner air allows more heat to reach the Earth\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n Scientific research has long underestimated all these factors.\u00a0This is why warming has progressed faster than was expected just ten years ago, said Sonia Seneviratne, a climatologist at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, during the presentation of the SCNAT report.<\/p>\n >>Find out which countries are warming the fastest in our article:<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Climate adaptation\n <\/p>\n Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 10, 2025 <\/p>\n Switzerland is particularly affected by climate change, with temperatures rising faster than in most other countries. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world 65% of glacier volume lost<\/p>\n The melting of glaciers \u2013 iconic elements of the Alpine landscape and centrepieces of Switzerland\u2019s cultural identity \u2013 is one of the most visible indicators of warming in the country. Glaciers\u2019 tongues (the part that extends towards the valley) are shortening and the ice is thinning, a process accelerated by the increase in heat waves.<\/p>\n Since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1850, a period of cooler-than-average climate, Swiss glaciers have lost about 65% of their volume. Between 2016 and 2022 alone, around one hundred glaciers \u2013 out of a total of about 1,400 \u2013 disappeared completely. The most severe losses affect glaciers located below 3,000 metres in altitude, but even high\u2011altitude glaciers are no longer safe.<\/p>\n The dramatic retreat of glaciers is profoundly reshaping the Alpine landscape and has direct repercussions for water resources, hydropower production and mountain ecosystems. In Switzerland, the melting of Alpine glaciers also entails an increased risk of natural disasters such as floods, debris flows and landslides.<\/p>\n >>Glaciers are retreating worldwide, with consequences for tens of millions of people:<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Glaciers & permafrost\n <\/p>\n Glaciers of the world, local melting and global impacts <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Dec 24, 2025 <\/p>\n From the Alps to the polar regions, glaciers around the world are retreating at an ever-increasing rate. What are the consequences for populations and ecosystems? <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Glaciers of the world, local melting and global impacts 12 fewer days of snow<\/p>\n Swiss glaciers are retreating in part because snowfall in the mountains is less abundant. Snow is essential for glaciers, as it ensures their growth and a thick layer of snow can protect glaciers during warm periods.<\/p>\n When average temperatures rise, precipitation increasingly falls as rain rather than snow. The so\u2011called zero\u2011degree level \u2013 the altitude where rain turns into snow \u2013 has risen by several hundred metres since the beginning of the 20th century. Snow cover in Switzerland is thinnerExternal link<\/a>, less widespread and less persistent \u2013 especially at low and medium elevations.<\/p>\n In some regions of Switzerland the duration of snow cover shortened by 12 days between the reference periods 1961\u20131990 and 1991\u20132020. This means that today the ground remains snow\u2011covered for almost two fewer weeks per year than in the past.<\/p>\n Across the country, since 1970, the number of days with snow has declined by 50% in places that are 800 metres above sea level, and by 20% at around 2,000 metres altitude.<\/p>\n The decline in snow primarily affects ski resorts, which are pillars of winter tourism in Switzerland. For many low\u2011 and mid\u2011altitude ski lift operators, survival is becoming increasingly uncertain.<\/p>\n >>Here is how ski resorts might cope with winters with less snow:<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Tourism Trends\n <\/p>\n Climate change in the Alps: five ways Swiss ski resorts are fighting for survival <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Feb 15, 2026 <\/p>\n Not all Swiss ski resorts have a future. How mountain destinations are coping with less snow and cost pressures. <\/p>\n
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