Weather forecast for the Swiss National Day weekend: Will it be rainy or sunny?
Swiss National Day on August 1, 2025, is expected to bring a mix of weather conditions across the country, according to the latest forecasts from MeteoNews.
The weather forecast for the holiday is unsettled and varies by region. In the Alps and southern Switzerland, rain showers and local thunderstorms are expected throughout the day, accompanied by moderate to strong south-westerly or westerly winds, particularly in the mountains. In contrast, the lowlands will be unsettled during the day but should calm down in the evening, with partly dry conditions allowing fireworks to go ahead in many places. Temperatures will remain subdued in the north at around 20 to 22 degrees Celsius, while the south can expect somewhat more pleasant conditions near 25 degrees and mostly dry weather at nightfall.
Mountainous areas, such as Zermatt, Gotthard Pass, and Piz Bernina, will continue to see sub-20C temperatures. On the other hand, only short episodes of drizzle are expected in Basel, north-west Switzerland, over the course of the day. Umbrellas may be required on Saturday in much of the country, with temperatures forecast to drop to around 20C.
In Chur, four hours of sun and drizzle are expected for most of the afternoon, with showers expected to get a little heavier after 6pm. No heavy rain was forecast for Swiss National Day at the time of writing. Zurich is expected to be dry for most of the day on Swiss National Day with very light rain late at night, highs of 23C, and almost seven hours of sunshine.
Last weekend, cooler temperatures, thunderstorms, and persistent heavy rain occurred across much of the country. MeteoNews predicted heavy rain could cause flooding and landslides across eastern and central Switzerland and the Bernese Oberland on Sunday. However, the rain would peter out again on Sunday, with MeteoNews anticipating that most cantons would see out the week with sunny spells and drizzle.
From Tuesday, temperatures are expected to increase again, and sunny spells are expected to displace the heavy rain in most cantons. In Lugano, Italian-speaking Ticino, temperatures are expected to rise to 27C. From 3pm, Lugano may experience storms and light to moderate rain (up to 3mm).
On Sunday afternoon, the Federal Office for the Environment issued a weather warning. Thunderstorms are expected in several areas, including Zurich, Basel, Lausanne, and Saint Gallen, on Saturday.
It is unlikely to be completely dry in all of Switzerland's cantons on Swiss National Day. Nevertheless, the cloudy and wet weather is expected to improve by midnight on Tuesday.
This assessment is based on the latest forecasts from MeteoNews as reported by Bluewin news and MeteoNews’ own updates in late July and early August 2025.
Weather forecasting indicates that the weather conditions on Swiss National Day will be varied across different regions. In some areas like the Alps and southern Switzerland, rain showers, thunderstorms, and windy conditions are anticipated. Conversely, the lowlands might witness calmer conditions with possible fireworks, while temperatures will differ between the north and south, remaining subdued in the north and more pleasant in the south.
