Alta snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Utah, USA · 2,591m to 3,258m

Over the last 10 seasons Alta, USA has averaged 452cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 147cm, 4 powder days and 27 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 2 December to 27 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Alta

452 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
147 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
4
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
27
Bluebird days
sun after snow
12
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
169
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Alta, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan78 cm88 cm1mm6.7 h-5° / -12°1.03.20.1
Feb78 cm107 cm1mm7.5 h-5° / -12°0.74.30.1
Mar80 cm124 cm3mm8.8 h-2° / -9°0.65.60.4
Apr69 cm114 cm6mm10.7 h2° / -6°1.04.21.4
May40 cm59 cm26mm12.4 h7° / -2°0.23.48.6
Jun6 cm6 cm50mm13.9 h15° / 5°0.00.210.1
Jul0 cm0 cm94mm13.7 h21° / 11°0.00.014.6
Aug0 cm0 cm133mm12.5 h19° / 10°0.00.015.4
Sept10 cm0 cm78mm11.5 h14° / 5°0.00.611.5
Oct39 cm3 cm28mm9.4 h6° / -3°0.52.55.4
Nov47 cm12 cm3mm7.8 h0° / -9°0.62.70.9
Dec60 cm44 cm3mm6.5 h-4° / -12°0.33.50.7

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
2025/26385 cm215 cm432177
2024/25486 cm125 cm628177
2023/24532 cm152 cm635181
2022/23best667 cm233 cm1033208
2021/22369 cm94 cm414152
2020/21leanest309 cm107 cm015141
2019/20325 cm131 cm212169
2018/19541 cm151 cm332184
2017/18373 cm90 cm229120
2016/17535 cm171 cm739185
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 2925m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Alta 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
well above average
452 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
147 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 84 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
above average
4
Ahead of 73% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
27
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
12
Drier than 92% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
169
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Alta

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
2 December
Season ends
27 May
Days of cover
178 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
124cm average depth
Most new snow
March
80cm and 0.6 powder days
Best bluebird odds
March
5.6 bluebird days, 8.8h sun a day
Wettest month
May
8.6 rain days

Is Alta 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, Alta 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 2925m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Alta snow record in detail

How much snow does Alta get?

Alta averages 452cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is well above average: more snow than 85% 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 2022/23 with 667cm, and the leanest was 2020/21 with 309cm — a difference of 357cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 385cm.

March is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 80cm and 15 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Alta?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Alta the snowpack peaks at an average of 147cm each season. That is well above average, deeper than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 124cm through the month and topping out around 142cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Alta get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Alta averages 4 powder days a season. That is above average, more powder days than 73% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

March has the most, 0.6 on average.

How often does Alta get bluebird days?

Alta averages 27 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.

March is the best month for it, averaging 5.6 bluebird days and 8.8 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Alta?

At mid-mountain Alta sees an average of 12 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 8% 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 8.6 rain days and 26mm on average.

When is the best time to ski or board Alta, and when does the season end?

Alta typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 2 December through to 27 May, which works out at roughly 178 days of skiable cover in an average year. 169 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.

March has it all at Alta: the deepest base, the most new snow and the most bluebird days fall in the same month.

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 Alta are taken at 2925m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Alta 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.

Alta in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 12cm through the month. It brings 47cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.6 powder days. Average highs are 0°C and lows -9°C, with 7.8 hours of sunshine a day and 2.7 bluebird days.

Alta in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 44cm and deepening towards its March peak. It brings 60cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are -4°C and lows -12°C, with 6.5 hours of sunshine a day and 3.5 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Alta in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 88cm. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 78cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are -5°C and lows -12°C, with 6.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.2 bluebird days.

Alta in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 107cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 78cm of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are -5°C and lows -12°C, with 7.5 hours of sunshine a day and 4.3 bluebird days.

Alta in March

Best all round

March is when the base at Alta is at its deepest, averaging 124cm through the month and peaking around 142cm in a typical year. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 80cm of new snow on average, 15 snow days and 0.6 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -9°C, with 8.8 hours of sunshine a day and 5.6 bluebird days, the most of any month. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Alta.

Alta in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 114cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 69cm of new snow in an average year, with 12 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -6°C, with 10.7 hours of sunshine a day and 4.2 bluebird days.

Alta in May

Late season

In May the base averages 59cm, past its March peak of 124cm and thinning. It brings 40cm of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 7°C and lows -2°C, with 12.4 hours of sunshine a day and 3.4 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 8.6 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Alta compares with nearby resorts

Of Alta and the 3 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Alta ranks first for snowfall, with 452cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets less.

Alta has the most powder days of the group (4 a season); Alta builds the deepest base (147cm at its peak); and Alta 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 Alta and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Alta—2925m452cm147cm427
Snowbird2 km2935m452cm134cm427
Park City13 km2667m354cm132cm222
Deer Valley15 km2509m354cm132cm222

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

More on Alta

Ski resorts near Alta

Distances are straight-line, not by road.