Though mostly snowless in the plains, nearly all Swiss regions will be hit by freezing temperatures this week.
The first Monday of 2026 – that is, January 5th – will mark the beginning of “frigidly chilly” weather, according to the forecast from Switzerland’s official meteorological service, MeteoSchweiz.
While it will remain mostly sunny for the next several days, temperatures will drop well below the zero mark in much of Switzerland, even on the lower ground.
For example, forecasts call for -10C in Bern, -7C in Zurich and Basel, and -5 in Lausanne.
MeteoSchweiz/Swisstopo
The cold but sunny snap will continue until Thursday, with rain or snow – depending on the regions – arriving on Friday and continuing throughout the weekend.
What about the weather in the mountains?
It will be even colder at higher altitudes, with temperatures at 2,000 metres falling to -11C.
But in some areas of the Swiss Alps it will be even colder: on the ski slopes, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, the temperature will be around -13C on average.
However, on some slopes – such as in St. Moritz (Graubünden) – the cold will remain intense, with temperatures plummeting as low as -24C.
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Mid-January: Milder but wetter
Looking ahead from Monday, January 12th to Sunday, January 18th, MeteoSchweiz forecasts a “large low-pressure area over north-central Europe, with a westerly current over Switzerland. Days will be mostly cloudy with some precipitation alternating with sunny and dry periods and Highs of 2 to 7C.”
