Not everyone is happy

No coincidence! That’s why Easter is so warm this year

Just in time for Easter Sunday, a temporary high-pressure system is bringing sunny and warm weather across the region.(Bild: Malena Brenek)

The old farmer’s saying holds true: “Baby Jesus in the snow, Easter Bunny in the clover” fits like a glove this year. Meteorologist Nikolas Zimmermann explains why Easter is so warm this year and why that might not please everyone...

“After a white Christmas in some regions, it will be very mild just in time for Easter, with temperatures above 20 degrees,” says Zimmermann. According to him, it’s no coincidence that Easter is so unusually warm this year. That’s because the holiday doesn’t have a fixed date—it’s based on the moon and always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. As a result, Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25—and the weather is just as variable.

While cold air may still flow in from the north at times, and even late snow showers are possible, southwesterly currents often bring warm air from North Africa our way.

Just in time for Easter Sunday, a temporary high-pressure system will bring widespread sunny and warm weather.(Bild: Malena Brenek)

Saturday starts with rain in the north, sunshine in the south
On Holy Saturday, the weather remains split: While it will be wet on and off from the Tyrolean lowlands to western Lower Austria, conditions will clear up in the south and east. The sun will peek through more frequently, especially between Lienz and Villach. With daily highs of up to 18 degrees, the 20-degree mark will just miss being reached. 

Then comes the big turnaround: Just in time for Easter Sunday, a high-pressure system will bring bright sunshine to large parts of the country. A few harmless clouds will drift by, but the sun will dominate. Temperatures will rise to a pleasant 17 to 24 degrees, with highs of up to 25 degrees possible in the south—almost like early summer! It won’t be until the evening that the risk of showers and thunderstorms increases again in the west.

Bad news for allergy sufferers
As beautiful as the weather is—for many, it also has a downside: The birch trees are blooming particularly heavily this year. Extremely high pollen levels are expected, especially on Easter Sunday.

On Monday, a weak cold front will make its presence felt. Clouds and isolated rain showers will move through, especially in the north. In the afternoon, the sun will make frequent appearances again, but the wind will pick up significantly. Temperatures will drop slightly, mostly ranging between 13 and 19 degrees. In the south, however, it will remain milder—with highs up to 24 degrees.

Nearly 30 degrees recorded in Salzburg!
A look back shows just how extreme Easter weather can be, according to meteorologist Zimmermann: In 2013, late March brought the depths of winter with up to 30 centimeters of snow and temperatures around freezing. It was quite different in 2000: Nearly 30 degrees were recorded in Salzburg!

On average, the Easter temperature in Vienna is around 15 degrees—but depending on the date, significant outliers are possible. One thing is clear: Easter remains a weather lottery. This year, the sun is clearly the winner!