A top Swiss meteorologist has announced that winter is over and spring has begun in Switzerland. As far as Michael Eichmann from MeteoNews is concerned, last week was the last time you’ll see snow in any place other than the mountains.

High temperatures officially bring an end to winter in Switzerland

Calendar spring has begun in Switzerland, with consistent sun and high temperatures predicted for the days ahead. This week will see highs of up to 19 degrees Celsius across Swiss cities, with locals ditching the winter jackets for perhaps the last time this season.

"Until Sunday there will be sun, sun and sun," Eichmann told Blick. In the long term, he predicted that winter would be over for most parts of Switzerland - bad news for those who hoped for April powder in Swiss ski resorts.

Switzerland significantly warmer than it should be for time of year

The hottest temperatures this week will be seen on Wednesday and Thursday in Zurich, Bern and Locarno. So far this March, the weather in Switzerland is significantly warmer than usual, with over 10 hours more sunshine recorded than the usual average. 

The warm temperatures will be a boon for spring wildlife, with many Swiss alpine flowers set to bloom earlier than scheduled. For those of a strong disposition, Swiss lakes will achieve water temperatures of around 7 to 9 degrees.

Although temperatures during the day will be almost tropical, nighttime values will provide a reminder of what the weather should be like at this time of year, with frost predicted in some places. The uniformly dry, sunny weather is set to continue for the forecastable future.