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 It may come as no surprise to anyone who sweated buckets through June, July, and August that this year's summer has broken Switzerland's heat records. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260903/switzerland-confirms-summer-2026-was-hottest-ever-but-will-become-the-norm Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:37:04 +0200 switzerland-confirms-summer-2026-was-hottest-ever-but-will-become-the-norm Due to the persistent hot weather, the water in many of Switzerland’s lakes is not refreshing – in fact, it is on the upper range of what is considered ‘normal’ for a summer season. But is it safe to swim in? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260818/is-it-safe-to-swim-in-switzerlands-very-warm-lakes-this-summer Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:49:58 +0200 is-it-safe-to-swim-in-switzerlands-very-warm-lakes-this-summer Millions of people across Europe -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and Britain -- baked through a new wave of extreme temperatures Thursday as the continent's latest heatwave picked up. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260812/europes-latest-heatwave-more-than-90-million-set-for-plus-35c-temperatures Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:42:33 +0200 europes-latest-heatwave-more-than-90-million-set-for-plus-35c-temperatures With scorching temperatures breaking records across Europe this summer, The Local has put together tried and tested tips for surviving heatwaves from southern Europe, where locals have had decades of practice coping with the heat. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260810/gelato-for-lunch-bedlinen-in-the-freezer-heatwave-tips-from-southern-europe Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:46:06 +0200 gelato-for-lunch-bedlinen-in-the-freezer-heatwave-tips-from-southern-europe Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July on record as climate change fuels an historic summer of heat, drought and wildfires across the region, the EU's global warming monitor said Monday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260810/western-europe-experienced-hottest-june-july-on-record Mon, 10 Aug 2026 10:35:47 +0200 western-europe-experienced-hottest-june-july-on-record July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded in Switzerland. Will temperatures drop in August? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260804/weather-will-the-swiss-heatwave-finally-end-in-august Tue, 04 Aug 2026 14:23:53 +0200 weather-will-the-swiss-heatwave-finally-end-in-august 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