Crans-Montana snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Valais, Switzerland · 1,500m to 3,000m

Over the last 10 seasons Crans-Montana, Switzerland has averaged 419cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 203cm, 6 powder days and 17 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 22 November to 23 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Crans-Montana

419 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
203 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
6
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
17
Bluebird days
sun after snow
24
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
184
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Crans-Montana, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan82 cm130 cm2mm6.0 h-6° / -13°1.13.40.4
Feb54 cm155 cm5mm7.3 h-3° / -11°0.82.00.9
Mar65 cm166 cm5mm8.3 h-1° / -9°0.72.71.4
Apr38 cm142 cm14mm10.3 h2° / -6°0.41.33.7
May26 cm76 cm65mm10.7 h7° / -2°0.11.813.1
Jun0 cm9 cm80mm12.6 h14° / 4°0.00.014.2
Jul0 cm0 cm77mm12.8 h15° / 6°0.00.012.9
Aug1 cm0 cm80mm11.5 h15° / 6°0.00.011.5
Sept6 cm1 cm60mm9.8 h11° / 2°0.00.29.9
Oct19 cm3 cm72mm7.9 h6° / -3°0.20.59.3
Nov65 cm28 cm18mm6.1 h-1° / -9°0.82.63.2
Dec89 cm88 cm11mm5.4 h-5° / -12°1.63.01.6

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
2025/26325 cm206 cm612154
2024/25380 cm159 cm611177
2023/24536 cm235 cm620210
2022/23372 cm150 cm416183
2021/22361 cm172 cm517169
2020/21421 cm192 cm311177
2019/20432 cm246 cm721187
2018/19453 cm227 cm525186
2017/18best596 cm281 cm1021199
2016/17leanest309 cm157 cm314194
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 2250m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Crans-Montana 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
419 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

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

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
well above average
6
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
well above average
17
Ahead of 78% 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
well above average
184
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Crans-Montana

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
22 November
Season ends
23 May
Days of cover
184 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
166cm average depth
Most new snow
December
89cm and 1.6 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
3.4 bluebird days, 6.0h sun a day
Wettest month
May
13.1 rain days

Is Crans-Montana 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, Crans-Montana 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 2250m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Crans-Montana snow record in detail

How much snow does Crans-Montana get?

Crans-Montana averages 419cm 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 2017/18 with 596cm, and the leanest was 2016/17 with 309cm — a difference of 287cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 325cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 89cm and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Crans-Montana?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Crans-Montana the snowpack peaks at an average of 203cm 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 166cm through the month and topping out around 194cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Crans-Montana get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Crans-Montana averages 6 powder days a season. That is well above average, more powder days than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 1.6 on average.

How often does Crans-Montana get bluebird days?

Crans-Montana averages 17 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is well above average, more than 78% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

January is the best month for it, averaging 3.4 bluebird days and 6.0 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Crans-Montana?

At mid-mountain Crans-Montana 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 13.1 rain days and 65mm on average.

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

Crans-Montana typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 22 November through to 23 May, which works out at roughly 184 days of skiable cover in an average year. 184 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, January.

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 Crans-Montana are taken at 2250m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Crans-Montana 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.

Crans-Montana in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Crans-Montana: the base averages 28cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It brings 65cm of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and 0.8 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -9°C, with 6.1 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.2 on average at mid-mountain.

Crans-Montana in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 88cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 89cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.6 powder days. Average highs are -5°C and lows -12°C, with 5.4 hours of sunshine a day and 3 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.6 on average at mid-mountain.

Crans-Montana in January

Best all round

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 130cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 82cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 1.1 powder days. Average highs are -6°C and lows -13°C, with 6 hours of sunshine a day and 3.4 bluebird days, the most of any month. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical January. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Crans-Montana.

Crans-Montana in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 155cm. It brings 54cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.8 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -11°C, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2 bluebird days.

Crans-Montana in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Crans-Montana is at its deepest, averaging 166cm through the month and peaking around 194cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 65cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -9°C, with 8.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2.7 bluebird days.

Crans-Montana in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 142cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 38cm of new snow in an average year, with 6 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -6°C, with 10.3 hours of sunshine a day and 1.3 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.7 on average at mid-mountain.

Crans-Montana in May

Late season

In May the base averages 76cm, past its March peak of 166cm and thinning. It brings 26cm of new snow in an average year, with 6 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 7°C and lows -2°C, with 10.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.8 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 13.1 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Crans-Montana compares with nearby resorts

Of Crans-Montana and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Crans-Montana ranks 4 of 5 for snowfall, with 419cm a season. Adelboden, Gstaad and Verbier get more; Villars gets less.

Adelboden has the most powder days (9 a season, against 6 here); Adelboden builds the deepest base (257cm against 203cm); and Adelboden gets the most bluebird days (25 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 Crans-Montana and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Crans-Montana—2250m419cm203cm617
Adelboden23 km1850m565cm257cm925
Gstaad24 km1525m457cm186cm521
Verbier30 km2415m565cm243cm825
Villars32 km1750m383cm171cm519

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

More on Crans-Montana

Ski resorts near Crans-Montana

Distances are straight-line, not by road.