-3°C for Swiss farmers: Vineyards fight against spring frost

Vineyards in Switzerland lit thousands of candles as temperatures dropped below freezing this week, bringing frost to the vines.

In the wine-growing region of Salgesch, the temperature dropped below freezing from midnight on Thursday, triggering a frost alarm among winegrowers. Thousands of frost candles were lit to protect the vines from the cold.

In the Rhone Valley, the mercury dropped to 27 degrees F (-2.7°C) in Visp on Friday morning. In Thun, the mercury read 27.8 degrees F (-2.3°C). It was even colder in the high Alpine valleys, such as the Engadin, at almost 17 degrees ( -8°C).

For fruit and wine growers, sub-zero temperatures in spring mean a lot of work for their crops. Over the past few days, they have been preparing for the forecast frosty nights.

In frost-prone wine regions of the Rhone Valley, frost candles and gas blowers have been set up everywhere.

Check out a closer view of how these candles keep the vines warm with this video from France after the coldest April night since 1947 arrived in 2022.