Fernie snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at British Columbia, Canada · 1,060m to 2,135m

Over the last 10 seasons Fernie, Canada has averaged 324cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 133cm, 1 powder day and 13 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 17 November to 18 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Fernie

324 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
133 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
1
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
13
Bluebird days
sun after snow
21
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
179
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Fernie, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan44 cm93 cm1mm4.6 h-6° / -12°0.11.70.2
Feb50 cm109 cm2mm6.3 h-6° / -14°0.32.30.2
Mar52 cm117 cm7mm8.2 h1° / -8°0.02.61.3
Apr41 cm103 cm15mm10.0 h5° / -5°0.01.84.6
May16 cm38 cm48mm11.7 h11° / 0°0.00.410.0
Jun8 cm1 cm96mm12.5 h16° / 4°0.10.316.3
Jul0 cm0 cm40mm14.3 h22° / 9°0.00.07.7
Aug0 cm0 cm49mm12.4 h21° / 8°0.00.08.7
Sept3 cm0 cm50mm10.2 h15° / 4°0.00.19.7
Oct30 cm6 cm42mm7.5 h5° / -4°0.11.37.2
Nov53 cm26 cm21mm4.5 h-2° / -8°0.11.33.4
Dec68 cm62 cm8mm3.7 h-6° / -12°0.72.41.0

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
2025/26325 cm175 cm212171
2024/25leanest267 cm114 cm04172
2023/24316 cm123 cm25187
2022/23269 cm118 cm18184
2021/22391 cm136 cm216198
2020/21295 cm121 cm113194
2019/20334 cm139 cm211171
2018/19277 cm114 cm117160
2017/18best392 cm150 cm019182
2016/17379 cm140 cm120170
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 1598m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Fernie 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
324 cm
Ahead of 57% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

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

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
below average
1
Ahead of 35% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
above average
13
Ahead of 63% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
below average
21
Drier than 72% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
179
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Fernie

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
17 November
Season ends
18 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
117cm average depth
Most new snow
December
68cm and 0.7 powder days
Best bluebird odds
March
2.6 bluebird days, 8.2h sun a day
Wettest month
May
10.0 rain days

Is Fernie a good place to ski or board?

a deep, reliable basevery little raina long season

On 10 years of record, Fernie stands out for a deep, reliable base, very little rain and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 1598m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Fernie snow record in detail

How much snow does Fernie get?

Fernie averages 324cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is about average: more snow than 57% 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 392cm, and the leanest was 2024/25 with 267cm — a difference of 125cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 325cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 68cm and 14 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Fernie?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Fernie the snowpack peaks at an average of 133cm 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 117cm through the month and topping out around 130cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Fernie get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Fernie averages 1 powder day a season. That is below average, more powder days than 35% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 0.7 on average.

How often does Fernie get bluebird days?

Fernie averages 13 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is above average, more than 63% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

March is the best month for it, averaging 2.6 bluebird days and 8.2 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Fernie?

At mid-mountain Fernie sees an average of 21 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 10.0 rain days and 48mm on average.

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

Fernie typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 17 November through to 18 May, which works out at roughly 184 days of skiable cover in an average year. 179 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, March.

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 Fernie are taken at 1598m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Fernie 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.

Fernie in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Fernie: the base averages 26cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 53cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -8°C, with 4.5 hours of sunshine a day and 1.3 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.4 on average at mid-mountain.

Fernie in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 62cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 68cm of new snow on average, 14 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are -6°C and lows -12°C, with 3.7 hours of sunshine a day and 2.4 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Fernie in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 93cm. It brings 44cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -6°C and lows -12°C, with 4.6 hours of sunshine a day and 1.7 bluebird days.

Fernie in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 109cm. It brings 50cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are -6°C and lows -14°C, with 6.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2.3 bluebird days. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Fernie.

Fernie in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Fernie is at its deepest, averaging 117cm through the month and peaking around 130cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 52cm of new snow on average, 13 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -8°C, with 8.2 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days, the most of any month.

Fernie in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 103cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 41cm of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 5°C and lows -5°C, with 10 hours of sunshine a day and 1.8 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4.6 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

Fernie in May

Late season

In May the base averages 38cm, past its March peak of 117cm and thinning. It brings 16cm of new snow in an average year, with 4 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 11°C and lows 0°C, with 11.7 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 10 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

More on Fernie

Ski resorts near Fernie

Distances are straight-line, not by road.