Hemsedal snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Buskerud, Norway · 625m to 1,500m

Over the last 10 seasons Hemsedal, Norway has averaged 281cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 148cm, 0 powder days and 6 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 12 November to 26 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Hemsedal

281 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
148 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
0
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
6
Bluebird days
sun after snow
17
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
190
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Hemsedal, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan50 cm103 cm4mm2.7 h-6° / -12°0.01.20.7
Feb43 cm122 cm2mm4.8 h-5° / -12°0.01.20.4
Mar43 cm129 cm5mm6.8 h-2° / -9°0.11.10.8
Apr30 cm120 cm7mm10.1 h2° / -6°0.01.01.5
May15 cm75 cm45mm11.8 h8° / 0°0.00.38.1
Jun2 cm6 cm108mm12.7 h14° / 5°0.00.014.7
Jul0 cm0 cm128mm12.4 h16° / 7°0.00.015.5
Aug0 cm0 cm128mm9.8 h14° / 6°0.00.016.6
Sept6 cm1 cm128mm6.9 h10° / 3°0.00.014.7
Oct29 cm9 cm65mm4.7 h3° / -2°0.30.29.4
Nov46 cm36 cm21mm2.8 h-2° / -7°0.10.83.8
Dec55 cm72 cm11mm1.7 h-5° / -10°0.10.72.0

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
2025/26245 cm87 cm06144
2024/25231 cm118 cm07155
2023/24302 cm160 cm16204
2022/23358 cm174 cm07190
2021/22leanest196 cm127 cm01178
2020/21297 cm157 cm05206
2019/20best359 cm193 cm013205
2018/19278 cm154 cm17205
2017/18313 cm173 cm15206
2016/17235 cm133 cm06208
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 1063m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Hemsedal 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
281 cm
Ahead of 50% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
148 cm
Ahead of 85% 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
well below average
17
Drier than 80% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
190
Ahead of 88% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Hemsedal

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
12 November
Season ends
26 May
Days of cover
197 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
129cm average depth
Most new snow
December
55cm and 0.1 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
1.2 bluebird days, 2.7h sun a day
Wettest month
May
8.1 rain days

Is Hemsedal a good place to ski or board?

a deep, reliable basevery little raina long season

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

Figures are modelled at 1063m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Hemsedal snow record in detail

How much snow does Hemsedal get?

Hemsedal averages 281cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is about average: more snow than 50% 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 2019/20 with 359cm, and the leanest was 2021/22 with 196cm — a difference of 163cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 245cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 55cm and 13 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Hemsedal?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Hemsedal the snowpack peaks at an average of 148cm 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 129cm through the month and topping out around 142cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Hemsedal get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Hemsedal 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 Hemsedal get bluebird days?

Hemsedal 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.

January is the best month for it, averaging 1.2 bluebird days and 2.7 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Hemsedal?

At mid-mountain Hemsedal sees an average of 17 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 20% 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 8.1 rain days and 45mm on average.

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

Hemsedal typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 12 November through to 26 May, which works out at roughly 197 days of skiable cover in an average year. 190 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 Hemsedal are taken at 1063m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Hemsedal 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.

Hemsedal in November

Base building

November is when the base starts to build, averaging 36cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 46cm of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -7°C, with 2.8 hours of sunshine a day. Expect the odd wet day — 3.8 on average at mid-mountain.

Hemsedal in December

Base building

Through December the base keeps building, to an average of 72cm. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 55cm of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -5°C and lows -10°C, with 1.7 hours of sunshine a day. Expect the odd wet day — 2 on average at mid-mountain.

Hemsedal in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 103cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 50cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are -6°C and lows -12°C, with 2.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days, the most of any month. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical January.

Hemsedal in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 122cm. It brings 43cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are -5°C and lows -12°C, with 4.8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Hemsedal.

Hemsedal in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Hemsedal is at its deepest, averaging 129cm through the month and peaking around 142cm in a typical year. It brings 43cm of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -9°C, with 6.8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.1 bluebird days.

Hemsedal in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 120cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 30cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -6°C, with 10.1 hours of sunshine a day and 1 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.5 on average at mid-mountain.

Hemsedal in May

Late season

In May the base averages 75cm, past its March peak of 129cm and thinning. It brings 15cm of new snow in an average year, with 4 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 8°C and lows 0°C, with 11.8 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 8.1 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Hemsedal compares with nearby resorts

Of Hemsedal and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Hemsedal ranks first for snowfall, with 281cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets less.

Norefjell has the most powder days (2 a season, against 0 here); Hemsedal builds the deepest base (148cm at its peak); and Hemsedal 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 Hemsedal and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Hemsedal—1063m281cm148cm06
Geilo42 km989m246cm125cm05
Beitostølen47 km1000m272cm144cm06
Norefjell91 km655m228cm110cm25
Skeikampen97 km962m205cm111cm02

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

More on Hemsedal

Ski resorts near Hemsedal

Distances are straight-line, not by road.