Snow has returned early to Switzerland, with the first flakes falling in Canton Valais. The wintery conditions in high areas forced five mountain passes to close over the last weekend, as snow was forecast below 1.400 metres for the first time this autumn. Meteorologists blamed the "Tief Sven" climate phenomenon for the random weather.

First snowfall seen below 1.600 metres in Bern and Valais

Valais resident Gilbert Pierre Von Allmen told 20 minuten that the weather last week had been warm, but then temperatures started to drop significantly over the weekend. At one point he found that “the temperature had dropped every half hour.” MeteoSwiss predicts that the vastly changeable weather is set to continue for the next few weeks, with little chance of a return to scorching summer temperatures for the autumn school holidays.

Over the weekend, SRF reported that the first snow had fallen in Canton Bern at 1.600 metres and above. As a result of the snowfall, the Furka, Grimsel, Nufenen and Susten passes had to close, with the authorities saying that the random weather conditions were a hazard to vehicles. 

Tief Sven blamed for cold weather in Switzerland

Meteorologists have blamed the changeable weather on the Tief (or deep) Sven. Deep Sven is a weather depression over Scandinavia that causes drastic changes to the weather in Switzerland and northern Europe. This week, Swiss media reported that Deep Sven was bringing wetness, cold and snow to the high mountains, alongside an unpredictable forecast for the future. 

Von Allmen joked that the weather does what it wants. “Snow could start in January and end in December,” he said, before recording another temperature reading of 1,7 degrees Celsius. The weather for the next few days will continue to be random, with warmer temperatures set to briefly return to Swiss cities, before another few days of rain next week.