Lack of rain made April a record month in some cases
Keystone-SDA
Some areas of Switzerland experienced the least April rainfall since records began.
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On average across Switzerland, precipitation totals were just 27% of the 1991-2020 reference value, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) wrote in a blog post. The “wet” days with more than one millimetre of precipitation could “practically be counted on one hand”.
According to MeteoSwiss, last April was the fourth least rainy April since measurements began in 1864. The western and northeast slopes of the Alps have never been drier for that month.
Across the entire monitoring network, over 80 locations recorded a new record minimum of April precipitation. More than 20 of them recorded less than ten millimetres of precipitation, including those in the Bernese Oberland, in the canton of Graubünden and in the region between Zofingen and Aarau in the canton of Aargau.
However, the blog went on to say that a lack of precipitation does not necessarily equate to drought. Water levels in rivers and lakes, the groundwater level, soil moisture and the condition of the vegetation also play a role.
Since the week beginning April 20, however, it has been possible to speak of dry conditions in large parts of the country.
Sunshine record in Pully
This April was not only record-breaking in terms of precipitation. Instead of rain, the high-pressure weather brought strong breezes and plenty of sunshine.
According to the report, April saw 130-155% of the average sunshine duration over the 1991-2020 reference period.
A sunshine record was also measured in Pully, Vaud: 284.4 hours of sunshine were recorded by its measuring station. The previous record of 283.5 hours was set in 1938.
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Exceptionally dry April grips Switzerland, warns MeteoSwiss
Translated from German by AI/mga
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