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MeteoSwiss provides a comprehensive range of publicly available information about the weather and climate. Much of this information can be obtained free of charge. Experts at MeteoSwiss also produce numerous weather and climate products for customers with more specialist requirements, as well as providing tailored advice.

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New questions are continually being asked around the topics of weather and climate. Will there be heavy thunderstorms at the weekend? How hot was the previous year? How many days did the snow cover last in the previous year? How is Switzerland affected by climate change?

MeteoSwiss provides the answers in the form of various products, free information about the weather and climate, as well as tailored advice on request.

Weather and climate information

MeteoSwiss provides a wide range of weather and climate-related services. On behalf of the federal government, data are collected, analysed, and used in reports. Much of this information is available free of charge on the MeteoSwiss website.

  • Weather and local forecasts: MeteoSwiss produces weather forecasts based on model calculations, which it publishes on its website and in the MeteoSwiss App. Local forecasts can be displayed for towns and postcodes. The forecasts are updated several times a day.
  • Measurements at meteorological stations: MeteoSwiss operates a comprehensive range of measurement systems to record the status of numerous weather indices at ground level and in the atmosphere on a continuous basis. Data about temperature, precipitation, wind and many other weather parameters are continually updated and published on the website.
  • MeteoSwiss App: The MeteoSwiss App provides all relevant weather information for Switzerland in one place, from weather forecasts and current measurement values, to the MeteoSwiss Blog, through to warnings about severe weather and other natural hazards.
  • Hazards: MeteoSwiss provides information about current meteorological hazards such as wind, thunderstorms, rain, snow, slippery roads, heat and frost. An additional map contains warnings about other natural hazards such as floods, forest fires, earthquakes and avalanches.
  • Satellite images: Weather satellites allow cloud developments to be tracked on a continuous basis. MeteoSwiss provides a selection of up-to-date satellite images free of charge.
  • An A-Z of weather and climate: MeteoSwiss explains the most important terms used in meteorology and climatology.
  • Regularly occurring weather phenomena: Phenomena such as the cold spell in June (known as the “Schafskälte”), fog in autumn, or deviations from the norm in parameters such as temperature, precipitation or sunshine duration are explained and verified on the basis of climatological knowledge.

  • Climate change: Visualisations of climate indices and climate trends bring home the realities of climate change and show clearly how the human population is causing the changes we are currently seeing.
  • Climate change scenarios: How will the climate of Switzerland change in the coming decades? The climate change scenarios provide answers to this question.
  • Switzerland’s climate: All the essential information about Switzerland’s climate, from long-term averages and climate diagrams, to satellite climatology and recurring phenomena such as the “Schafskälte” cold snap in June and the Indian summer.
  • Climate extremes: Extreme events are defined on the basis of extreme-value statistics. MeteoSwiss produces analyses of heavy precipitation [interner Link] and other extreme events. This work is particularly important in the prevention of natural hazards and for energy and water management.
  • Climate reports: MeteoSwiss analyses weather and climatic developments and compiles climate reports on a regular basis.

Tailored reports are also prepared for individuals, institutions and enterprises with an interest in more detailed information about particular topics. These products range from data collected by ground-based stations, weather radars and satellites, to specific weather forecasts, climate analyses and aviation weather information.

Weather and climate products

Specific questions about the products can be sent to the MeteoSwiss experts using the contact form.

Not all weather and climate-related questions can be answered with the data that are provided free of charge. The experts at MeteoSwiss are therefore happy to provide individuals with tailored advice on our products. Please use the contact form or the telephone below for this purpose:

Telephone

+41 58 460 99 99

Availability

Monday to Friday, 9:00–11:30 a.m.
and 1:30–4:30 p.m.

Other information by telephone

The meteorology and climatology experts at MeteoSwiss are on hand to provide you with weather and climate information in German, French and Italian. You can contact us using our premium-rate 0900 telephone numbers.

Premium-rate numbers (CHF 2.90/min from a landline)

Services

Telephone number

Availability

Weather forecast

0900 162 333

24h/day

Past weather

0900 162 403

24h/day

Personal aviation weather advice

0900 162 737

24h/day

When to make use of the telephone services

Obtaining weather or climate information and advice is useful for those who:

  • Need a greater level of detail than is provided by the free information services
  • Need specific advice or information
  • Wish to speak with a weather or climate expert
  • Only require certain specific measurement readings
  • Need information about hail, lightning, wind or precipitation events (time, place, intensity)
  • Do not require any written analyses, expert reports or measurements, only verbal weather and climate information

Typical questions about weather forecasts and past weather include:

  • “I want to have a barbecue this evening. Is it going to stay dry?”
  • “I want to go sailing in the next few days. Will there be any wind? Can I expect thunderstorms?”
  • “Was there lightning over Locarno on 9th July 2022?”

“I experienced some hail damage on 24th June 2022. Can you tell me whether there was hail on that day over Zurich?”