My wife and I will be in Switzerland in July. What kind of weather should we expect and what kind of clothes should we bring?

I visit a friend in Montreux most summers. Recent trips it has been HOT in July and August. From your post I can't tell if you will be in the city or hiking in the mountains, at lake-level or up high in altitude. Generally I pack as I would for summer weather at home (west coast USA).

I will be in Luzern and Zurich, in mid to late July. And what is considered hot? I am from Texas, so is hot 90 or more or what?

I live in Zurich. So far, we are having what has historically been our typical summer: temps in the mid-70s and a fair bit of rain. Of course, this time the last two summers it was over 90 degrees each day, and many days were close to a 100F. Last summer we had virtually no rain from early June through mid-August. So, no one is really quite sure what to expect. I would bring layers and be prepared to add them or take them off.

I live in Luzern and second what Cicerone has said.

However this year, it seems to be rainy mostly on the weekends with more sun during the workweek!!

But in general, Switzerland north of the Alps does not compare with Texas in the summer.

I had my father(a retired meterologist) look it up and he told me that the yearly rainfall (both quantity and number of days) in Luzern is around the same if not a little more than London and the Vancounver/Seattle area.

Hi gblakeb, I'm from Louisiana, and the last time I was in Zurich in June, it made it all the way to 93F! Now this may have been a fluke, but I'd advise to plan for warm weather and just purchase a parka there if you get lucky and it turns cold. J.

What region of Switzerland?

Since I travel to the high altitude areas such as the Jungfrau-Berneese Oberland, the Canton Valis areas in the months of late August and September, I have always brought along summer type cloths; however, I also pack a sweater and a turtleneck type shirt just in case the weather turns cool, which Switzerland can turn cool in late August and September.

I usually cram that stuff in a daypack for easy retrieval just in case.

I never have been into all this synthetic rain gear stuff, but some people swear by it.

Anyway, dress for summer, but pack a sweater or light jacket and you should be ok.