February 2019 was unusually hot in Switzerland. According to Swiss Meteo, the region south of the Alps experienced the second highest average February temperature since records began in 1864.

© Nick Kontostavlakis | Dreamstime.com
The average monthly temperature at the 3,580 metre measurement point on the peak Jungfraujoch was 5 degrees higher than the norm between 1981 and 2010. The average monthly temperature was -8.5 degrees, not far behind the warmest February (1998) when it reached an average of -7.6 degrees.
It was hot at the Grand Saint Bernard pass too. The average temperature there (2,472 m) reached -3.7, not far behind the warmest February average of -2.7, recorded in 1998.
Across all of Switzerland, the average temperature in February 2019 was 3 degrees higher than the average monthly norm, making it one of the ten warmest since 1864.
Along with these unusually high temperatures, came sun. The southern alpine parts of Graubunden and Valais had 10% and 30% more sunlight hours than the norm between 1981 and 2010. Some parts of Switzerland received 80% more sun than normal. Basel and Geneva received the most February sun in 100 years.
February skiers this year had sun but in many cases had to put up with tired slushy snow.
More on this:
Swiss Meteo blog (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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