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Switzerland is poised to record its fourth hottest month of May since 1864, according to the meteorlogical service MeteoSwiss.
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Temperatures have so far been 1.8 degrees Celcius above average. The spring season is also set to go down in the record books as historically dry.
The nationwide average daily temperature for May so far this year has been 10.7C, MeteoSwiss reported. The rainy period at the beginning of the month was not enough to compensate for the significant shortfall in rainfall since March.
In some regions, barely 40% of the average rainfall fell in May. Barring a huge surprise between now and Friday, this spring is likely to be one of the driest since measurements began in 1901.
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Nationally, rainfall has only reached 56% of average values, a deficit of almost 150 millimetres.
The current situation is reminiscent of the historic drought years of 1944 and 1976. Canton Graubünden and the Engadine region are particularly hard hit. There has been less than half the usual rainfall.
The Swiss government has issued a Level 2 alert, which currently applies to the Alps and the eastern part of the Plateau. This is equivalent to a mild drought, and no improvement is expected in the short term.
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Early heatwave
Switzerland has already experienced its first hot days since the Whitsun weekend, which is unusually early for the season, and even earlier for several consecutive days.
The mercury rose above 30 degrees in Ticino and in several places north of the Alps, even topping 34 degrees on Wednesday in Valais (34.2C in Sion).
The high mountains were no exception. It was necessary to climb to 4,328 metres to find the 0C isotherm on Whit Monday. This makes it the third-highest recorded zero degree day in May.
With climate change, the heat is coming on earlier and earlier, lasting longer and longer, at higher altitudes and with increasing intensity, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology points out in its bulletin.
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Adapted from French by AI/mga
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