Over 25 degrees possible

Easter weekend could bring the first day of summer

(Bild: APA/BIRGIT EGARTER)

The Easter weekend will not only be very spring-like, but could also bring the first summer day of the year. As Geosphere Austria predicted on Thursday, temperatures of at least 25 degrees will be measured in isolated cases on Saturday. Such summer days in March are rare and last occurred in 2021, 2017, 2016, 2006 and 2004, among others. Normally it's not until mid-April; the earliest summer day was on March 18, 2004 with 25.3 degrees in Pottschach.

At individual weather stations, Saturday could also bring the warmest March day in the respective measurement series. However, the Austria-wide March record should not be reached. It is 27.5 degrees, measured on March 23, 1977 in Gumpoldskirchen (Lower Austria).

On Friday, the sky will still be mostly cloudy in the southwest and some rain is to be expected at times. In the rest of Austria, sunny weather will dominate, although a few high clouds will pass. The wind will be weak to moderate, brisk to strong in the mountains and on the eastern edge of the Alps, from east to southwest. In the morning, temperatures will range from minus three to plus six degrees, in the afternoon from 16 to 24 degrees, in the southwest it will remain cooler with eleven to 15 degrees.

The southwest will often have cloudy weather with a little rain on Saturday. Otherwise, sunshine and clouds will alternate, with the most sunshine in the northern parts of the country. The wind will blow weakly to moderately, in the south and south-east also briskly, along the northern side of the Alps and generally on the mountains more stormily, from east to south-west. Early temperatures will be between two and 13 degrees, afternoon temperatures can reach up to 26 degrees, in the southwest it will be cooler with temperatures between 15 and 19 degrees.

The apricots in the Wachau are in full bloom.

(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

The southerly flow will remain steady on Easter Sunday. This means that south of the main Alpine ridge, especially in East Tyrol and Upper Carinthia, there will be dense cloud cover with rain up to high mountain locations. Everywhere else it will be sunny and exceptionally warm. In foehn lines on the northern side of the Alps and on the eastern edge of the Alps, winds will pick up from the south to southwest. Isolated showers cannot be ruled out in the very north in the afternoon. Early temperatures four to 14 degrees, daytime highs mostly 18 to 24 degrees, partly lower in the south.

On Easter Monday, it will be mostly sunny again in the north and east, but also in the west due to the southerly foehn, with accumulating precipitation south of the main Alpine ridge. As the day progresses, another cold front will move in from the west, causing the Föhn to break down and the wind to shift to the west. With the onset of precipitation on the northern side of the Alps, the snow line will fall below 2,000 meters again. The disturbance will also reach the east by the evening. Early temperatures nine to 14 degrees, afternoon temperatures from west to east ten to 24 degrees.

Following the passage of the disturbance, the eastern Alps will move into a much cooler westerly current on Tuesday. Widespread sunny spells will alternate with dense cloud cover and sometimes heavy rain showers. Showers will be less frequent in the far east. Strong westerly winds will blow along the northern side of the Alps and in the north-east. Early temperatures two to eight degrees, highs ten to 18 degrees.