Garmisch-Partenkirchen snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Bavaria, Germany · 708m to 2,962m

Over the last 10 seasons Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany has averaged 347cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 108cm, 3 powder days and 13 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 5 December to 21 April.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Garmisch-Partenkirchen

347 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
108 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
3
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
13
Bluebird days
sun after snow
54
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
134
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan75 cm70 cm7mm5.5 h-4° / -13°1.12.61.9
Feb53 cm87 cm15mm6.6 h-1° / -10°0.72.23.4
Mar53 cm78 cm31mm8.0 h2° / -8°0.31.76.7
Apr37 cm45 cm55mm9.5 h6° / -4°0.01.410.8
May15 cm7 cm180mm9.8 h10° / 0°0.10.721.4
Jun0 cm0 cm193mm11.7 h15° / 5°0.00.020.1
Jul0 cm0 cm232mm11.5 h16° / 6°0.00.022.0
Aug0 cm0 cm219mm10.3 h16° / 7°0.00.021.2
Sept7 cm0 cm146mm9.0 h12° / 3°0.20.216.4
Oct14 cm1 cm93mm7.3 h9° / -1°0.00.512.3
Nov52 cm11 cm32mm5.8 h2° / -7°0.42.26.1
Dec62 cm42 cm17mm4.9 h-2° / -11°0.52.14.1

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
2025/26286 cm129 cm3690
2024/25leanest227 cm77 cm111122
2023/24452 cm103 cm412150
2022/23338 cm71 cm27129
2021/22297 cm105 cm312137
2020/21365 cm128 cm214157
2019/20337 cm113 cm316156
2018/19best481 cm142 cm1017164
2017/18389 cm137 cm316157
2016/17298 cm76 cm01882
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 1835m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Garmisch-Partenkirchen compares

Measured against 39 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
above average
347 cm
Ahead of 69% of resortsMedian 272 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
above average
108 cm
Ahead of 72% of resortsMedian 83 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
about average
3
Ahead of 59% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
above average
13
Ahead of 62% of resortsMedian 9

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well above average
54
Drier than 15% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
above average
134
Ahead of 62% of resortsMedian 114

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Garmisch-Partenkirchen

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
5 December
Season ends
21 April
Days of cover
139 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
February
87cm average depth
Most new snow
January
75cm and 1.1 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
2.6 bluebird days, 5.5h sun a day
Wettest month
May
21.4 rain days

Is Garmisch-Partenkirchen a good place to ski or board?

a deep, reliable baseit sees more rain than most

On 10 years of record, Garmisch-Partenkirchen stands out for a deep, reliable base. The trade-off is that it sees more rain than most.

Figures are modelled at 1835m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen snow record in detail

How much snow does Garmisch-Partenkirchen get?

Garmisch-Partenkirchen averages 347cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is above average: more snow than 69% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 272cm.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2018/19 with 481cm, and the leanest was 2024/25 with 227cm — a difference of 254cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 286cm.

January is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 75cm and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Garmisch-Partenkirchen the snowpack peaks at an average of 108cm each season. That is above average, deeper than 72% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 83cm.

The base is deepest in February, averaging 87cm through the month and topping out around 100cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Garmisch-Partenkirchen get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Garmisch-Partenkirchen averages 3 powder days a season. That is about average, more powder days than 59% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

January has the most, 1.1 on average.

How often does Garmisch-Partenkirchen get bluebird days?

Garmisch-Partenkirchen 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 62% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 9.

January is the best month for it, averaging 2.6 bluebird days and 5.5 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

At mid-mountain Garmisch-Partenkirchen sees an average of 54 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is well above average: 85% of the 39 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 21.4 rain days and 180mm on average.

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

Garmisch-Partenkirchen typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 5 December through to 21 April, which works out at roughly 139 days of skiable cover in an average year. 134 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is above average compared with the 39 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

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

Comparisons use 39 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 Garmisch-Partenkirchen are taken at 1835m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen 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.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 11cm through the month. It brings 52cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -7°C, with 5.8 hours of sunshine a day and 2.2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 6.1 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 42cm and deepening towards its February peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 62cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -11°C, with 4.9 hours of sunshine a day and 2.1 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4.1 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average December.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in January

Best all round

By January the base is close to its February peak, averaging 70cm. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 75cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.1 powder days. Average highs are -4°C and lows -13°C, with 5.5 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 1.9 on average at mid-mountain. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in February

Deepest base

February is when the base at Garmisch-Partenkirchen is at its deepest, averaging 87cm through the month and peaking around 100cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 53cm of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -10°C, with 6.6 hours of sunshine a day and 2.2 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.4 on average at mid-mountain.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in March

Still deep

March still has a deep base, averaging 78cm — only a little down on the February peak. It brings 53cm of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -8°C, with 8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.7 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 6.7 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average March.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in April

Late season

In April the base averages 45cm, past its February peak of 87cm and thinning. It brings 37cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 6°C and lows -4°C, with 9.5 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 10.8 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

How Garmisch-Partenkirchen compares with nearby resorts

Of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Garmisch-Partenkirchen ranks 2 of 5 for snowfall, with 347cm a season. Wank gets more; Zugspitze, Seefeld and Innsbruck get less.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen has the most powder days of the group (3 a season); Zugspitze builds the deepest base (120cm against 108cm); and Garmisch-Partenkirchen 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 Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Garmisch-Partenkirchen—1835m347cm108cm313
Wank2 km1780m353cm108cm313
Zugspitze13 km2962m341cm120cm312
Seefeld, Austria20 km1640m289cm119cm29
Innsbruck, Austria34 km1887m328cm117cm311

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

More on Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Ski resorts near Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Distances are straight-line, not by road.