Big White snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at British Columbia, Canada · 1,755m to 2,319m

Over the last 10 seasons Big White, Canada has averaged 266cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 87cm, 0 powder days and 6 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 9 December to 30 April.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Big White

266 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
87 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
0
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
6
Bluebird days
sun after snow
24
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
135
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Big White, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan42 cm59 cm2mm4.4 h-7° / -14°0.00.90.4
Feb41 cm71 cm2mm5.9 h-7° / -15°0.10.80.4
Mar42 cm73 cm7mm7.8 h-2° / -12°0.01.41.8
Apr32 cm50 cm16mm9.9 h3° / -8°0.00.84.7
May12 cm7 cm61mm11.4 h10° / -2°0.00.012.2
Jun3 cm0 cm63mm12.8 h13° / 1°0.00.013.4
Jul0 cm0 cm29mm14.4 h19° / 5°0.00.06.2
Aug0 cm0 cm31mm12.5 h18° / 6°0.00.06.3
Sept2 cm0 cm45mm10.0 h12° / 1°0.00.09.2
Oct26 cm3 cm34mm7.3 h4° / -5°0.11.17.5
Nov44 cm14 cm18mm4.7 h-3° / -9°0.01.43.3
Dec53 cm37 cm4mm4.2 h-7° / -14°0.11.01.0

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
2025/26221 cm81 cm02113
2024/25282 cm82 cm09145
2023/24280 cm60 cm1589
2022/23246 cm103 cm03162
2021/22253 cm79 cm01144
2020/21242 cm90 cm19142
2019/20279 cm90 cm04133
2018/19leanest183 cm73 cm02106
2017/18best380 cm120 cm018167
2016/17297 cm89 cm010153
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 2037m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Big White 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
about average
266 cm
Ahead of 45% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
about average
87 cm
Ahead of 57% of resortsMedian 84 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
well below average
0
Lowest of every resort we compareMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
below average
6
Ahead of 35% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
below average
24
Drier than 72% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
above average
135
Ahead of 63% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Big White

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
9 December
Season ends
30 April
Days of cover
144 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
73cm average depth
Most new snow
December
53cm and 0.1 powder days
Best bluebird odds
November
1.4 bluebird days, 4.7h sun a day
Wettest month
May
12.2 rain days

Is Big White a good place to ski or board?

very little rain

On 10 years of record, Big White stands out for very little rain.

Figures are modelled at 2037m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Big White snow record in detail

How much snow does Big White get?

Big White averages 266cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is about average: more snow than 45% 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 380cm, and the leanest was 2018/19 with 183cm — a difference of 197cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 221cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 53cm and 14 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Big White?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Big White the snowpack peaks at an average of 87cm each season. That is about average, deeper than 57% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 73cm through the month and topping out around 85cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Big White get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Big White averages 0 powder days a season. That is well below average, more powder days than fewer than every other resort in the set, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 0.1 on average.

How often does Big White get bluebird days?

Big White averages 6 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is below average, more than 35% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

November is the best month for it, averaging 1.4 bluebird days and 4.7 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Big White?

At mid-mountain Big White sees an average of 24 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is below average: 28% 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 12.2 rain days and 61mm on average.

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

Big White typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 9 December through to 30 April, which works out at roughly 144 days of skiable cover in an average year. 135 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is 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, November.

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 Big White are taken at 2037m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Big White 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.

Big White in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 14cm through the month. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 44cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -9°C, with 4.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 3.3 on average at mid-mountain.

Big White in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 37cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 53cm of new snow on average, 14 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -7°C and lows -14°C, with 4.2 hours of sunshine a day and 1 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Big White in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 59cm. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 42cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are -7°C and lows -14°C, with 4.4 hours of sunshine a day.

Big White in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 71cm. It brings 41cm of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -7°C and lows -15°C, with 5.9 hours of sunshine a day. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Big White.

Big White in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Big White is at its deepest, averaging 73cm through the month and peaking around 85cm in a typical year. It brings 42cm of new snow in an average year, with 12 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -12°C, with 7.8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.8 on average at mid-mountain.

Big White in April

Late season

In April the base averages 50cm, past its March peak of 73cm and thinning. It brings 32cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 3°C and lows -8°C, with 9.9 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 4.7 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

How Big White compares with nearby resorts

Of Big White and the 2 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Big White ranks last for snowfall, with 266cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets more.

Revelstoke has the most powder days (1 a season, against 0 here); Revelstoke builds the deepest base (207cm against 87cm); and Revelstoke gets the most bluebird days (15 a season).

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 Big White and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Big White—2037m266cm87cm06
Sun Peaks146 km1670m289cm97cm07
Revelstoke148 km1370m387cm207cm115

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

More on Big White

Ski resorts near Big White

Distances are straight-line, not by road.