mar, Nov 14th 2023
The low-pressure system “Jasper” brought a turbulent night to Switzerland. There were gale-force winds in the mountains. On the Jungfraujoch, meteorologists measured the eighth-highest wind peak of November. The westerly foehn drove up the night temperatures.
It was 19.4 degrees in Thun on Tuesday night, according to MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology. On both sides of the Alps, it remained mild for the time of year throughout the day at 12 to 16 degrees. In the north, continuous rain fell with a continuing stormy westerly wind. In the south, the sun shone from time to time.
The gale in the mountains blew hardest on the Jungfraujoch BE, with gusts peaking at 177 kilometers per hour. The wind speed there reached the eighth-highest November value. It also blew hard on the Säntis AR with 137 km/h, followed by the Wildspitz SZ with 124 km/h, according to the weather service Meteonews. On the Chasseral BE in the Jura, the west wind was blowing at 115 km/h.
Intense rainfall reached Switzerland in the wake of “Jasper”. By midday on Wednesday, the federal government warned of a rapid rise in water levels, flooding and landslides for parts of Vaud and Lower Valais as well as for the Saanenland in the canton of Bern.
The warning level for these areas was “high”. Between 100 and 130 liters of rain per square meter were expected there. The federal government recommended staying away from riverbank areas and avoiding steep slopes. A mudslide could break out suddenly and without warning. The authorities also warned against staying in basements.
The snow line was at 2500 meters above sea level and was expected to drop to 2000 meters by the evening. According to the Snow and Avalanche Research Institute (SLF), the first large avalanches fell in Valais. There was a high risk of avalanches in parts of the canton.
©Keystone/SDA
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