Severe storms hit Solothurn and Aargau, with more than 200 damage reports

Herz — Switzerland Desk · 28 August 2026 at 10:08 · 30s summary · 2 min read

What we know

The canton of Solothurn was particularly badly hit. By the morning of August 28, 2026, cantonal police had received well over 200 damage reports, according to SRF.

At that point, police had received no reports of injuries in the canton.

Heavy hail fell in Baden, in the canton of Aargau. Photographs posted on social media showed hailstones the size of golf balls.

Damage in Aargau

On the A1 motorway from Bern towards Zurich, a lorry tipped onto a van in the Birrfeld-Birrhard area. No one was injured in the accident.

Four electricity pylons toppled in the same area, with one falling onto a house.

In Aarau, the storm tore sections from the roof of a sports hall.

AEW Energie AG also reported storm-related power cuts in several municipalities around Aargau's Fricktal region.

Disruption to rail services

The railway line between Biel and Olten was impassable because of the weather. Swiss Federal Railways expected the closure to last until approximately 2 p.m. on August 28, 2026.

The regional R55 railway line near Nyon, in the canton of Vaud, was also disrupted by the weather.

Storm front moves east

By late morning, the storm front had moved east, particularly towards Zurich and Schaffhausen.

The Murten-Kerzers area, in the canton of Fribourg, was also identified as a weather danger zone.

In Beringen, in the canton of Schaffhausen, the storm tore away part of a roof, according to Blick. A large section was blown through the air before landing on parked cars.

Timeline for August 28, 2026

1. Morning
   Solothurn cantonal police receive well over 200 damage reports.
2. Late morning
   The storm front moves towards Zurich and Schaffhausen.
3. Until approximately 2 p.m.
   Swiss Federal Railways expects the Biel–Olten line to remain closed.

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