https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed As you know by now, getting permission to purchase a fixed AC unit for a private home is a real headache in Switzerland. But some elected officials are now speaking in favour of these devices. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260731/new-reality-swiss-lawmakers-warm-up-to-easing-of-air-conditioning-rules Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:19:30 +0200 new-reality-swiss-lawmakers-warm-up-to-easing-of-air-conditioning-rules If you are not yet fluent in any of the Swiss national languages, you may not know whether another heatwave is on the way this summer. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260629/the-essential-heatwave-vocabulary-you-need-to-follow-a-swiss-weather-forecast Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:11:22 +0200 the-essential-heatwave-vocabulary-you-need-to-follow-a-swiss-weather-forecast Edelweiss airline, which connects Zurich with dozens of holiday destinations around the world, is being criticised for urging travellers to escape Switzerland’s heatwave on one of its planes. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260730/swiss-airline-under-fire-for-its-insensitive-heatwave-ad-campaign Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:55:53 +0200 swiss-airline-under-fire-for-its-insensitive-heatwave-ad-campaign After a few days of temperatures not exceeding 30C, Switzerland will experience another wave of extremely hot weather, accompamied by worsening drought and heightened wildfire risks. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260728/new-intense-heatwave-to-hit-switzerland-as-wildfire-warnings-increase Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:24:49 +0200 new-intense-heatwave-to-hit-switzerland-as-wildfire-warnings-increase With temperatures in some Swiss regions exceeding 35C this week we asked our readers how they manage to stay (relatively) cool in a severe heatwave in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260625/please-have-a-referendum-on-ac-your-tips-for-coping-with-switzerlands-heatwaves Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:54:09 +0200 please-have-a-referendum-on-ac-your-tips-for-coping-with-switzerlands-heatwaves Weeks of heatwaves and drought have impacted Switzerland’s waterways and, in turn, its dams as well. Just how dire is the current situation? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260720/swiss-rivers-and-lakes-at-lowest-levels-in-20-years Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:36:11 +0200 swiss-rivers-and-lakes-at-lowest-levels-in-20-years Extremely hot weather can cause many people, and not just the elderly, to feel unwell. But Switzerland has strict rules about the use of hospital ERs. How do you know whether the use of emergency services is justified during a heatwave? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260714/when-should-you-go-to-the-emergency-room-in-switzerland-during-a-heatwave Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:19:11 +0200 when-should-you-go-to-the-emergency-room-in-switzerland-during-a-heatwave If you're hoping for the extremely hot and dry weather in Switzerland to be over, you may be in luck – though the relief could be temporary. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260713/could-switzerlands-heatwave-and-drought-end-this-week Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:04:26 +0200 could-switzerlands-heatwave-and-drought-end-this-week The record-breaking heatwave and subsequent drought gripping Switzerland in recent weeks are impacting many aspects of life in the country - including food prices. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260713/how-the-heatwave-could-impact-food-prices-in-switzerland Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:53:49 +0200 how-the-heatwave-could-impact-food-prices-in-switzerland With a few exceptions, it has been very hot in Switzerland in the past few weeks, making apartments, especially in older buildings, almost uninhabitable. What rights do tenants have if their dwellings are overheated? https://www.thelocal.ch/20230718/heatwave-are-you-entitled-to-a-rent-reduction-in-your-swiss-home Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:03:30 +0200 heatwave-are-you-entitled-to-a-rent-reduction-in-your-swiss-home Because of Switzerland's topography certain parts of the country are more likely than others to get higher temperatures during heatwaves that will become more common due to the human-caused climate crisis. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260707/what-are-the-best-and-worsts-parts-of-switzerland-to-be-in-heatwaves Tue, 07 Jul 2026 16:46:12 +0200 what-are-the-best-and-worsts-parts-of-switzerland-to-be-in-heatwaves As high temperatures can diminish or accentuate the undesirable effects of some drugs, Swiss pharmacists urge special caution. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260624/swiss-pharmacists-warn-of-taking-certain-medication-during-heatwave Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:46:44 +0200 swiss-pharmacists-warn-of-taking-certain-medication-during-heatwave After a relative ‘lull’ of the past several days, Switzerland will swelter in another wave of extremely hot weather in coming days as air conditioning units sell out. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260706/switzerland-to-be-hit-by-new-heatwave-as-air-conditioning-units-sell-out Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:14:54 +0200 switzerland-to-be-hit-by-new-heatwave-as-air-conditioning-units-sell-out Europe is still taking stock of a powerful heatwave in late June but experts are already confident it ranks among the worst ever recorded -- even rivalling a freak 2003 episode. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260704/one-for-the-history-books-what-we-know-about-the-european-heatwave Sat, 04 Jul 2026 09:32:47 +0200 one-for-the-history-books-what-we-know-about-the-european-heatwave After the torrid heatwave that hit Switzerland the second half of June and a subsequent (relative) respite, what will the month of July bring us, in terms of weather? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260702/forecast-just-how-hot-will-the-weather-be-in-july-in-switzerland Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:55:01 +0200 forecast-just-how-hot-will-the-weather-be-in-july-in-switzerland Though all of Swiss regions have sweltered under the extremely hot weather for nearly three weeks this month, Basel bore the brunt of the heatwave. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260629/39c-why-was-basel-hit-by-highest-temperatures-during-swiss-heatwave Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:58:59 +0200 39c-why-was-basel-hit-by-highest-temperatures-during-swiss-heatwave Tens of millions are braving a weekend of extreme temperatures in Europe as a deadly heatwave moves eastwards, with some countries announcing rising death tolls and health services warning of saturation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260628/records-tumble-as-european-heatwave-moves-east Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:03:28 +0200 records-tumble-as-european-heatwave-moves-east Switzerland broke the record for its hottest-ever June day for the third day in a row on Saturday, with the mercury rising to 39C in the northern city of Basel. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260628/switzerland-breaks-june-heat-record-for-third-day-at-39c-weather-service Sun, 28 Jun 2026 07:36:51 +0200 switzerland-breaks-june-heat-record-for-third-day-at-39c-weather-service The reactors at Europe's oldest nuclear plant were shut down Friday, its Swiss operator said, after the heatwave roasting Europe sent temperatures soaring in the river used for cooling. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260627/swiss-nuclear-plant-shut-down-due-to-heatwave Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:14:20 +0200 swiss-nuclear-plant-shut-down-due-to-heatwave The heatwave battering Europe may have an unlikely partner-in-crime: a patch of cold ocean water south of Iceland and Greenland that can influence weather patterns over the continent. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260626/european-heatwaves-unlikely-accomplice-is-an-ocean-cold-blob Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:20:28 +0200 european-heatwaves-unlikely-accomplice-is-an-ocean-cold-blob