Heavy winter snow hit large parts of Switzerland overnight, with several Swiss cities seeing an unusually large amount for this time of year. The weather is set to be dry until another flurry of snow on Friday, followed by warmer temperatures.

Large Swiss cities hit by heavy snowfall

Residents in Canton Ticino woke up to a sea of white on Thursday, after heavy snow-covered southern Switzerland. Even in lower altitudes around Lake Lugano and Maggiore, 15 centimetres of snow fell overnight - altitudes over 700 metres saw double this amount.

Ticino was not the only place to experience heavy snow, with the cities of Lucerne, Zurich, Bern and St. Gallen reporting large flurries on Thursday. Consistent rainfall on the Swiss plateau turned into snow overnight as temperatures dropped. Up in the mountains, Canton Schwyz woke up to an extra half metre of snow on the ground.

Snow set to continue until Friday before melting

For Canton Ticino, the snow is due to melt by the end of Friday at the latest, but Meteonews has warned of icy conditions on the roads, particularly at high altitudes. Snow may remain at lower altitudes, but cities are expected to be clear.

For the rest of Switzerland, the snowfall will subside on Thursday, with temperatures increasing back to between 1 and 5 degrees. Dependent on the temperature, snow in central and eastern Switzerland can be expected at lower altitudes on Friday. For those wanting some sun, Saturday will be your best bet, with temperatures rising to 8 degrees.