Europe experienced the second warmest winter in 2022/23

According to evaluations by the EU Climate Change Service Copernicus, this winter was the second warmest since records began in 1979. Temperatures in Eastern Europe and parts of northeastern Europe were well above average, Copernicus announced on Wednesday in the English Reading.

In addition, it was drier than average in large parts of Western and Southeastern Europe and in regions of Russia. Temperatures on the Iberian Peninsula were below average. The warmest winter was therefore 2019/20.

According to Copernicus, February was the fifth warmest in the world. “Most of Europe had above-average air temperatures, especially northern Norway and Sweden and the Spitsbergen region,” the EU agency said.

Swiss winter was the seventh warmest

Switzerland also experienced one of the mildest winters since measurements began, as the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology Meteo Schweiz announced at the end of February. On average across the country, the winter of 2022/23 was 1.4 degrees Celsius above the norm in seventh place since measurements began in 1864. On the southern side of the Alps and in the Engadine, it ranked third to fifth.

Weather experts are guided by the meteorological winter, which lasts from December 1 to February 28. The researchers also calculate their data in whole months for statistical reasons. (sda/dpa)