Weather & Climate

Climate Type:

Innsbruck's current climate type is moist continental. They have warm summers and cold winters. In terms of severe weather, the winter is the most frequent with cloudly gray days and spotty snowfalls. I believe the average annual snowfall was ninety-nine cm (thirty-nine inches) and temps can sometimes fall as low as negative fifteen degrees Celsius five degrees Fahrenheit) In the summer it is mostly moderate with very few instances of severe weather. However, with rain and thunderstorms in the summer, the average high temps don't exceed much past thirty-two degrees Celcius (ninety degrees Fahrenheit) [3]

Temperature:

The coldest month that Innsbruck experiences is January with an average temperature of -0.5 degrees Celsius (31.1 degrees Fahrenheit) The warmest month on average is July with temperatures as high as 25.4 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) [3]

Precipitation:

Precipitation in Innsbruck on average amounts to 960mm (37.8 inches) per year. It can range from 35mm (1.4 inches) in the driest month of February. To the wettest month of August at 145mm (5.7 inches).

With the climate being Moist Continental, Innsbruck experiences different types of precipitation throughout the different seasons. Such as rain, snow, sleet, and hail. [3]

Humidity:

With frigid temperatures in January, The city of Innsbruck also experiences its highest point of humidity at 61% on average. The least humid month falls in April with humidity at 43%. Overall, the average annual percentage of humidity stands at 52%. [4]

Wind Direction:

Wind Direction in Innsbruck comes predominantly from the south. [5] Up until the noon hours of the day there's a breeze between 4-8mph. There are light winds in the afternoon (1-4mph) With winds also blowing overnight from the south to the southwest. [6]

Global Wind Patterns:

There is a common valley circulation that is observed with moderate up-valley winds during the daytime. With weaker down-valley winds during the night hours (and in the winter months) and near-zero winds around the times of twice-daily wind reversal. [7]

Air Masses:

With the location of Innsbruck on the main Alpine crest, more southern foehn events will affect wind speed, temperature, turbulence for airplanes, etc. More warm, dry foehn air over the surface can lead to potentially negative heat fluxes both inside and outside of the city. [7]

Weather Systems:

The main weather systems that Innsbruck experiences are more influenced by the continental weather patterns and the local topography of the Alps region. Since the weather is so heavily influenced by the Alps, the highest levels of precipitation tend to be on the northern and southern edges of the Alps. [3]

The Alps act as a barrier that stops the air from flowing which encourages the high levels of precipitation. [8]

Temperature and Precipitation Regime:

The overall average maximum temperature is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (with temps from 32 degrees in January and 70 degrees in August) [3]

In the summer, Innsbruck can experience hot periods, that are usually pretty short. With high temperatures that can exceed 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit)

As mentioned previously, Innsbruck has a moist continental climate, with normal amounts of precipitation. But with climate change and global warming on the rise, the overall temperatures and precipitation amounts are expected to increase. [3]

Works Cited: