Switzerland28 August 202619:08 UhrJournalPlus RedaktionReading time: 5 min0 comments

Friday Hailstorm: How Exceptional Was the Severe Weather?

Severe thunderstorms moved across Switzerland on August 28, 2026. Local hail reached six centimeters, and around 46,000 lightning strikes were recorded.

JournalPlus Redaktion

A strong thunderstorm front hit large parts of Switzerland on Friday. Gale-force winds, heavy rain, and unusually large hail caused significant damage, especially in Western and Northwestern Switzerland. In Winterthur, more than 40 people were injured by hailstones, including many children. Locally, hailstones reached a diameter of up to six centimeters.

The thunderstorms moved from west to northeast along the Jura mountains on Friday morning. Parts of the cantons of Solothurn, Aargau, Zurich, Schaffhausen, and Thurgau were particularly affected. SRF Meteo recorded around 46,000 lightning strikes in a short time. Two prominent hail lines extended from the Basel area and Lake Neuchâtel towards Lake Constance.

Large Hailstones Injure People in Winterthur

The severe weather particularly affected Winterthur. In the city, more than 40 people were injured by large hailstones, including numerous children. The City of Winterthur reports significant damage, especially in Wülflingen and Oberwinterthur. Hailstones the size of table tennis balls broke skylights and vehicle rear windows, among other things.

According to the city police, around 50 emergency calls were received by the afternoon. Emergency services were deployed due to damaged roofs, fallen trees, and loose branches, among other things. The public was advised to stay away from damaged buildings and trees.

Hail up to Six Centimeters in Diameter

From a meteorological perspective, the size of the hailstones was notable. SRF Meteo recorded a local diameter of up to six centimeters. Such hailstones are relatively rare in Switzerland and can cause significant damage to vehicles, buildings, and agricultural crops.

For comparison: Hailstones with a diameter of about two centimeters can already cause damage to vehicles and buildings. At six centimeters, the destructive power increases significantly.

142 km/h Wind in Schaffhausen

In addition to the hail, the thunderstorms caused severe gale-force winds. In Schaffhausen, wind gusts of up to 142 km/h were measured. In Hallau, 23 millimeters of rain fell within ten minutes, in Langenbruck in the canton of Basel-Landschaft 19 millimeters, and in Barmelweid in Aargau 18 millimeters. A rainfall intensity of seven millimeters in ten minutes is considered heavy rain.

The heavy rainfall led to flooded roads and cellars in some areas. At the same time, the gale-force winds caused numerous damages to trees, roofs, vehicles, and infrastructure.

240 Damage Sites in Aargau

The canton of Aargau was also severely affected. By midday, the cantonal police recorded around 240 damage sites and deployed more than 40 fire brigades. Reports included fallen trees, damaged roofs, flooded cellars, and overturned construction barriers, among others.

The Birrfeld area was particularly hard hit. There, gale-force winds pushed four massive concrete poles of a high-voltage power line to the ground. Two poles fell onto commercial buildings in Birrhard, causing significant damage. Additionally, a truck overturned onto a delivery van on the A1 motorway. According to the cantonal police, no one was injured in this incident.

Damage also occurred to aircraft and hangar buildings at Birrfeld airfield. Several municipalities in Aargau experienced power outages.

Serious Injury in Canton Solothurn

The thunderstorm front also caused extensive damage in the canton of Solothurn. The police received over 200 damage reports in the morning. In Erlinsbach, a 42-year-old woman was hit by a falling tree and seriously injured. She received medical attention on site and was subsequently taken to the hospital.

Numerous damage reports were also received in Schaffhausen and Thurgau. Approximately 90 reports were registered in Schaffhausen, and around 50 in Thurgau. Dozens of trees were uprooted or damaged.

Impact on Rail and Air Traffic

The severe weather also affected traffic. The railway line between Biel and Olten was temporarily interrupted. Restrictions also occurred on other routes.

At Zurich Airport, the thunderstorm situation also led to significant disruptions. By Friday midday, 27 arrivals and departures had to be canceled. Around 3,100 passengers were affected. Other flights were delayed by up to three hours. Reasons included lightning strikes near the airport, which temporarily halted ground operations for safety reasons.

Further Thunderstorms Possible in the Afternoon

With the passage of the cold front, the weather situation on Friday was not yet fully calm. SRF Meteo expected further, partly strong thunderstorms in the afternoon, especially in Central and Eastern Switzerland. In Ticino and adjacent areas of Graubünden, larger amounts of rain were possible in some areas until Saturday night.

The public should therefore continue to heed local weather warnings and keep away from trees, bodies of water, and exposed locations during thunderstorms.

How Exceptional Was the Severe Weather?

Hailstones with a diameter of up to six centimeters are unusually large for Switzerland. SRF Meteo describes such hail events as relatively rare. However, a conclusive historical classification of the event is only possible once all measurement data has been fully evaluated.

Furthermore, a long-term climate trend cannot be derived from a single extreme event. Whether and how severe thunderstorms and hail events in Switzerland will change in the future can only be assessed based on long-term measurement series and scientific evaluations.

One thing is already clear: the severe weather of August 28, 2026, due to the combination of large hail, severe gale-force winds, heavy rain, and numerous damages, ranks among the more significant thunderstorm events of this summer in Switzerland.

Read more: the damage toll of the hailstorms