Climate Change Chart of Interlaken, Switzerland

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Averaged across calendar months, monthly mean temperature shows a difference of +2.24 °C compared with the earlier reference period; this is an unweighted average of the monthly means, not a day-weighted annual figure or a measure of daytime highs. The largest monthly increase was in January, with a difference of +5.53 °C. By contrast, May had the largest monthly decrease, a difference of -0.09 °C. These selected month-specific results describe particular monthly averages, not a uniform change in every month.

Changes in snowfall

Mean daily snowfall was higher on average across calendar months in the more recent period, with a difference of +0.91 mm/day. This unweighted summary of monthly means is not a day-weighted annual average and does not mean every month had more snowfall. The largest monthly increase occurred in April, with a difference of +3.92 mm/day; the largest monthly decrease was in October, with a difference of -0.76 mm/day. These daily-mean comparisons are not monthly snowfall totals.

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall, rather than monthly rainfall totals, was higher on average across calendar months in the more recent period, with a difference of +1.48 mm/day. This is an unweighted mean of the calendar-month averages, so it does not imply that rainfall increased in every month. The largest monthly increase occurred in July, where the difference was +2.91 mm/day. That month-specific difference adds detail to the overall average but should not be read as a change applying throughout the year.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration was lower on average across calendar months, with a difference of -0.44 hours/day compared with the earlier reference period. This unweighted average summarizes monthly means; it does not establish that daily sunshine declined in every month. The largest monthly decrease was in May, with a difference of -0.82 hours/day. This is a comparison of mean daily hours, not a statement about every day's sunshine.