Gstaad snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Bern, Switzerland · 1,050m to 2,000m

Over the last 10 seasons Gstaad, Switzerland has averaged 457cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 186cm, 5 powder days and 21 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 25 November to 18 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Gstaad

457 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
186 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
5
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
21
Bluebird days
sun after snow
47
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
174
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Gstaad, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan90 cm110 cm20mm5.7 h0° / -8°1.33.73.1
Feb66 cm139 cm17mm7.0 h3° / -6°0.53.92.6
Mar76 cm150 cm19mm8.1 h4° / -5°0.83.44.0
Apr47 cm129 cm36mm10.0 h7° / -2°0.42.67.4
May24 cm57 cm137mm10.2 h11° / 1°0.01.419.3
Jun0 cm5 cm179mm12.1 h17° / 7°0.00.020.7
Jul0 cm0 cm164mm12.5 h19° / 9°0.00.018.1
Aug0 cm0 cm155mm11.3 h19° / 9°0.00.017.8
Sept6 cm0 cm125mm9.4 h15° / 5°0.00.016.0
Oct14 cm1 cm105mm7.7 h11° / 1°0.20.612.1
Nov65 cm20 cm50mm5.9 h5° / -4°0.92.76.4
Dec89 cm71 cm41mm5.2 h2° / -7°1.53.34.6

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
2025/26398 cm224 cm619136
2024/25398 cm150 cm811172
2023/24520 cm184 cm524204
2022/23409 cm131 cm418163
2021/22434 cm163 cm516168
2020/21500 cm198 cm325174
2019/20443 cm220 cm728174
2018/19466 cm199 cm525174
2017/18best626 cm243 cm724193
2016/17leanest379 cm149 cm420178
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 1525m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Gstaad 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
457 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

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

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
well above average
5
Ahead of 80% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
well above average
21
Ahead of 88% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
above average
47
Drier than 35% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
174
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Gstaad

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
25 November
Season ends
18 May
Days of cover
176 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
150cm average depth
Most new snow
January
90cm and 1.3 powder days
Best bluebird odds
February
3.9 bluebird days, 7.0h sun a day
Wettest month
May
19.3 rain days

Is Gstaad a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysa long season

On 10 years of record, Gstaad stands out for heavy snowfall, a deep, reliable base, frequent powder days, plenty of bluebird days and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 1525m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Gstaad snow record in detail

How much snow does Gstaad get?

Gstaad averages 457cm 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 626cm, and the leanest was 2016/17 with 379cm — a difference of 247cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 398cm.

January is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 90cm and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Gstaad?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Gstaad the snowpack peaks at an average of 186cm 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 150cm through the month and topping out around 178cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Gstaad get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Gstaad averages 5 powder days a season. That is well above average, more powder days than 80% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

January has the most, 1.3 on average.

How often does Gstaad get bluebird days?

Gstaad averages 21 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 88% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

February is the best month for it, averaging 3.9 bluebird days and 7.0 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Gstaad?

At mid-mountain Gstaad sees an average of 47 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is above average: 65% 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 19.3 rain days and 137mm on average.

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

Gstaad typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 25 November through to 18 May, which works out at roughly 176 days of skiable cover in an average year. 174 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, January; for fresh snow with sunshine, February.

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 Gstaad are taken at 1525m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Gstaad 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.

Gstaad in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Gstaad: the base averages 20cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It brings 65cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.9 powder days. Average highs are 5°C and lows -4°C, with 5.9 hours of sunshine a day and 2.7 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 6.4 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Gstaad in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 71cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 89cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.5 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -7°C, with 5.2 hours of sunshine a day and 3.3 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4.6 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average December.

Gstaad in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 110cm. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 90cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.3 powder days. Average highs are 0°C and lows -8°C, with 5.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.7 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.1 on average at mid-mountain.

Gstaad in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 139cm. It brings 66cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 3°C and lows -6°C, with 7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.9 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 2.6 on average at mid-mountain. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Gstaad.

Gstaad in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Gstaad is at its deepest, averaging 150cm through the month and peaking around 178cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 76cm of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 0.8 powder days. Average highs are 4°C and lows -5°C, with 8.1 hours of sunshine a day and 3.4 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average March.

Gstaad in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 129cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 47cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 7°C and lows -2°C, with 10 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 7.4 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

Gstaad in May

Late season

In May the base averages 57cm, past its March peak of 150cm and thinning. It brings 24cm of new snow in an average year, with 6 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 11°C and lows 1°C, with 10.2 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 19.3 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Gstaad compares with nearby resorts

Of Gstaad and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Gstaad ranks 2 of 5 for snowfall, with 457cm a season. Adelboden gets more; Crans-Montana, Leysin and Villars get less.

Adelboden has the most powder days (9 a season, against 5 here); Adelboden builds the deepest base (257cm against 186cm); 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 Gstaad and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Gstaad—1525m457cm186cm521
Adelboden22 km1850m565cm257cm925
Crans-Montana24 km2250m419cm203cm617
Leysin24 km1732m428cm155cm620
Villars25 km1750m383cm171cm519

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

More on Gstaad

Ski resorts near Gstaad

Distances are straight-line, not by road.