Alpe d'Huez snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Isère, France · 1,100m to 3,330m

Over the last 10 seasons Alpe d'Huez, France has averaged 656cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 202cm, 13 powder days and 30 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 20 November to 23 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Alpe d'Huez

656 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
202 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
13
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
30
Bluebird days
sun after snow
18
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
189
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Alpe d'Huez, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan116 cm123 cm2mm6.3 h-3° / -12°2.54.30.5
Feb79 cm151 cm3mm7.7 h-1° / -10°1.63.70.4
Mar106 cm164 cm3mm8.9 h0° / -9°2.25.10.4
Apr63 cm139 cm7mm10.7 h3° / -6°1.33.91.8
May55 cm64 cm44mm11.2 h7° / -2°0.62.710.0
Jun4 cm5 cm98mm13.0 h14° / 3°0.00.015.4
Jul0 cm0 cm79mm13.8 h17° / 6°0.00.011.7
Aug3 cm0 cm95mm12.2 h16° / 5°0.10.211.2
Sept10 cm0 cm73mm10.4 h12° / 2°0.10.19.8
Oct31 cm2 cm91mm8.3 h8° / -2°0.51.110.0
Nov91 cm28 cm32mm6.5 h1° / -8°1.24.53.7
Dec145 cm85 cm8mm5.9 h-2° / -10°3.25.91.5

Averages across the last 10 seasons. Powder, bluebird and rain columns are the average number of such days per month.

Season by season

SeasonSnowfallPeak depthPowder daysBluebird daysSkiable days
2025/26643 cm292 cm1334197
2024/25589 cm200 cm1124178
2023/24780 cm199 cm1433211
2022/23620 cm133 cm1033175
2021/22519 cm143 cm1026164
2020/21621 cm166 cm831178
2019/20792 cm250 cm1833196
2018/19613 cm206 cm1427197
2017/18best939 cm255 cm2137199
2016/17leanest444 cm179 cm723195
How these numbers are calculated
  • Powder day — at least 15cm of new snow in 24 hours.
  • Bluebird day — sunshine for at least 60% of daylight, following at least 10cm of snow over the previous 3 days.
  • Rain day — at least 1mm of rain (not snow) at this elevation.
  • Skiable day — at least 30cm of settled snow on the ground.
  • Snow depth is modelled from Open-Meteo / ERA5 reanalysis at 2215m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Alpe d'Huez compares

Measured against 40 other resorts across 18 countries, each analysed exactly the same way. The line down the middle of each bar is the median.

Snowfall per season
among the very best we track
656 cm
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
among the very best we track
202 cm
Ahead of 90% of resortsMedian 84 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
among the very best we track
13
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
30
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
18
Drier than 80% of resortsMedian 32

Days with 1mm or more of rain, not snow.

Skiable days
well above average
189
Ahead of 88% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Alpe d'Huez

Typical stretch holding 30cm or more of settled snow, averaged over the record.

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
20 November
Season ends
23 May
Days of cover
186 days

When to go

These rarely land in the same month, so it is worth deciding which one matters most before you book.

Deepest base
March
164cm average depth
Most new snow
December
145cm and 3.2 powder days
Best bluebird odds
December
5.9 bluebird days, 5.9h sun a day
Wettest month
May
10.0 rain days

Is Alpe d'Huez a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysvery little raina long season

On 10 years of record, Alpe d'Huez stands out for heavy snowfall, a deep, reliable base, frequent powder days, plenty of bluebird days, very little rain and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 2215m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Alpe d'Huez snow record in detail

How much snow does Alpe d'Huez get?

Alpe d'Huez averages 656cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is among the very best we track: more snow than 95% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 283cm.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2017/18 with 939cm, and the leanest was 2016/17 with 444cm — a difference of 495cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 643cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 145cm and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Alpe d'Huez?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Alpe d'Huez the snowpack peaks at an average of 202cm each season. That is among the very best we track, deeper than 90% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 164cm through the month and topping out around 188cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Alpe d'Huez get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Alpe d'Huez averages 13 powder days a season. That is among the very best we track, more powder days than 98% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 3.2 on average.

How often does Alpe d'Huez get bluebird days?

Alpe d'Huez averages 30 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is among the very best we track, more than 98% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

December is the best month for it, averaging 5.9 bluebird days and 5.9 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Alpe d'Huez?

At mid-mountain Alpe d'Huez sees an average of 18 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 20% of the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way see fewer wet days, against a median of 32.

May is the wettest month of the season, with 10.0 rain days and 44mm on average.

When is the best time to ski or board Alpe d'Huez, and when does the season end?

Alpe d'Huez typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 20 November through to 23 May, which works out at roughly 186 days of skiable cover in an average year. 189 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is well above average compared with the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

For the deepest base, go in March; for the most new snow, December; for fresh snow with sunshine, December.

Comparisons use 40 resorts across 18 countries, each measured over 5 recent seasons at mid-mountain height. Glaciated locations, where the model never melts the snow out, are excluded. Figures for Alpe d'Huez are taken at 2215m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Alpe d'Huez month by month

What to expect in each month of the season, from the same ten-year record. Figures are averages for mid-mountain; a good or poor winter can move them a long way.

Alpe d'Huez in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Alpe d'Huez: the base averages 28cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It brings 91cm of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and 1.2 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -8°C, with 6.5 hours of sunshine a day and 4.5 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.7 on average at mid-mountain.

Alpe d'Huez in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 85cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 145cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 3.2 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -10°C, with 5.9 hours of sunshine a day and 5.9 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 1.5 on average at mid-mountain.

Alpe d'Huez in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 123cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 116cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 2.5 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -12°C, with 6.3 hours of sunshine a day and 4.3 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical January.

Alpe d'Huez in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 151cm. It brings 79cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 1.6 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -10°C, with 7.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.7 bluebird days.

Alpe d'Huez in March

Best all round

March is when the base at Alpe d'Huez is at its deepest, averaging 164cm through the month and peaking around 188cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 106cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 2.2 powder days. Average highs are 0°C and lows -9°C, with 8.9 hours of sunshine a day and 5.1 bluebird days. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Alpe d'Huez.

Alpe d'Huez in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 139cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 63cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 1.3 powder days. Average highs are 3°C and lows -6°C, with 10.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.9 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.8 on average at mid-mountain.

Alpe d'Huez in May

Late season

In May the base averages 64cm, past its March peak of 164cm and thinning. It brings 55cm of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.6 powder days. Average highs are 7°C and lows -2°C, with 11.2 hours of sunshine a day and 2.7 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 10 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Alpe d'Huez compares with nearby resorts

Of Alpe d'Huez and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Alpe d'Huez ranks first for snowfall, with 656cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets less.

Alpe d'Huez has the most powder days of the group (13 a season); Val Thorens builds the deepest base (213cm against 202cm); and Alpe d'Huez also gets the most bluebird days.

Each resort is measured at its own mid-mountain height, so part of any difference is altitude: a resort modelled 500m higher will usually hold more snow. The table shows the height each figure comes from.

Ten-year snow averages for Alpe d'Huez and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Alpe d'Huez—2215m656cm202cm1330
Les Deux Alpes8 km2450m656cm195cm1330
Serre Chevalier42 km2000m479cm191cm823
Val Thorens47 km2765m588cm213cm926
Valmorel48 km1975m563cm183cm1024

Distances are straight-line. Season averages, November to May, over the last ten winters.

More on Alpe d'Huez

Ski resorts near Alpe d'Huez

Distances are straight-line, not by road.