Snow down to 1,600 metres as cold front brings Switzerland another weather change

Switzerland faces a wet and chilly Wednesday as a cold front crosses the country on 21 October, bringing widespread precipitation and pushing the snow line down to around 1,600 metres by evening. Up to 40 centimetres of fresh snow is expected in the high Alps. Conditions are more threatening in parts of Italy, where an Atlantic low is bringing heavy rain and thunderstorms. Liguria is under an orange alert, the second-highest warning level, and schools in Genoa remained closed.

For Switzerland, the change means lower temperatures and increasingly wintry conditions at higher altitudes, while the lowlands will see rain. Anyone heading into the mountains or planning a journey to northern Italy should watch developments closely. A brief improvement on Thursday is unlikely to last.

Snow reaches much further down the Alps

On Tuesday, the snow line is still at around 2,600 metres. By Wednesday evening, it will have dropped by roughly 1,000 metres. In the northern and central valleys of Graubünden, snow could fall below 1,600 metres. The forecast snow line is therefore not a uniform boundary: some places may turn white further down.

Above 2,500 metres, between 20 and 40 centimetres of fresh snow is expected by Wednesday evening. Above 2,000 metres, the forecast is for 5 to 15 centimetres, with a few centimetres possible slightly below that altitude too. The largest accumulations will be in the high mountains, but the change will not be confined to the highest peaks.

Precipitation will linger longer in parts of the Alps. Winds will also strengthen in the mountains, becoming strong at the highest altitudes. For mountain outings, the concern is not simply falling temperatures but the combination of fresh snow, wind and reduced visibility during precipitation. Conditions could be markedly different from Tuesday’s.

The change will be noticeable in the lowlands as well. Maximum temperatures will fall from around 12C to about 9C. At 2,000 metres, temperatures will drop from roughly 5C to freezing. Lower elevations face a cool, rainy day, while winter temporarily gains a stronger foothold in the mountains.

Liguria faces exceptionally heavy local rainfall

In Italy, the initial focus is on the north-west. The low-pressure system arriving from the Atlantic is bringing rain and thunderstorms to large parts of the country, with particularly heavy falls expected in Liguria. The orange warning covers thunderstorms as well as the risk of landslides and flooding.

Some locations could receive more than 100 litres of rain per square metre, with peak amounts of up to 200 litres. That is equivalent to rainfall of up to 200 millimetres. These are local peaks, rather than amounts expected evenly across the region. Nevertheless, they illustrate why conditions there warrant particular attention.

Around Savona, totals could reach 100 to 150 litres per square metre. In neighbouring Piedmont, some areas could also receive more than 100 litres by Wednesday. Yellow warnings are in force in Piedmont, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Umbria and Sardinia, among other areas. The weather alerts therefore extend well beyond Liguria.

Wind adds to the difficulties along the coasts of Liguria and Tuscany. Strong south-westerlies will produce high waves at times, with very rough to stormy seas. Thunderstorms could also bring strong gusts. For travellers from Switzerland, coastal conditions are therefore relevant alongside the rainfall warnings, particularly where journeys take them into the affected coastal areas.

The threat shifts north-east on Wednesday

During Wednesday, the focus moves to Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected there too, with some areas potentially receiving more than 100 litres per square metre. The risk of flooding and landslides will rise accordingly.

For anyone driving to or through northern Italy, the shifting centre of the severe weather matters. An improvement in the north-west does not automatically mean conditions are easing across the whole of northern Italy. The specific route remains important. The forecast alone, however, does not establish that any particular road or railway will be disrupted.

The same distinction applies to the rainfall totals: the highest amounts are expected regionally, not everywhere along a journey. Travellers need to consider where the heaviest rain is expected as the system moves eastwards, rather than treating northern Italy as a single weather zone.

On Thursday, the low moves further towards the Balkans and conditions in Italy gradually settle. Until then, exceptionally heavy rainfall in individual regions remains the central risk.

Switzerland gets only a brief respite

Switzerland should also see an improvement on Thursday, 22 October, with sunshine returning in many places. But the break will be short: another weather disturbance is due on Friday, bringing further precipitation. The snow line is then expected to lie at around 1,400 metres, lower still than on Wednesday evening.

Stormy gusts are possible in the mountains on Friday. The weekend is likely to remain changeable, with maximum temperatures of around 10C to 12C. Thursday’s brighter spell therefore offers only a pause between disturbances, rather than the start of a prolonged period of settled autumn weather.