Zurich weather

The best months to visit Zurich are September, October. Late June through August the Limmat river becomes a swimming lane — locals float from Frauenbadi to Utoquai on 'Schwumm' commutes with dry-bag Wickelfischs.

July runs the highest averages in Zurich, with typical daytime highs of 25°C (77°F). July 30C afternoons see locals at the Zurichsee lidos — Mythenquai, Tiefenbrunnen, or across at Kilchberg — where the Alps show on clear days.

January brings the lowest averages, with daytime highs near 4°C (40°F). January -3C and Bise east wind blowing across the lake; locals go up to Uetliberg for above-fog sunshine or skate at Dolder ice rink and drink Gluhwein.

May typically records the highest monthly rainfall — around 139mm on average. May thunderstorms flood the Sihl river tunnel under Hauptbahnhof — the world's largest underground river-diversion project — engaged three or four times a year.

Zurich, Switzerland has mild summers, cold winters, moderate seasonal rainfall. Zurich is not the Swiss capital (Bern is) and it has four official languages nationally but here you hear only Schweizerdeutsch — a spoken-only dialect no German speaker fully understands. The Kreis (districts) matter: Kreis 4 (Langstrasse) is the party/red-light zone, Kreis 5 (Zurich-West) is the converted industrial hipster area, Kreis 6 (Oberstrass) is student. The correct dinner is fondue in winter only (never summer — locals will judge) or Zurcher Geschnetzeltes (veal in cream sauce) at Zeughauskeller. Trams run on the second, everyone waits for the door beep, and jaywalking gets you a 40-franc fine. You can read the detailed month-by-month breakdown on this page.