Hovden snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Agder, Norway · 800m to 1,200m

Over the last 10 seasons Hovden, Norway has averaged 472cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 193cm, 4 powder days and 9 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 21 November to 4 June.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Hovden

472 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
193 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
4
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
9
Bluebird days
sun after snow
27
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
181
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Hovden, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan92 cm117 cm7mm2.1 h-4° / -9°1.21.52.0
Feb83 cm157 cm7mm3.5 h-4° / -9°0.71.41.3
Mar67 cm174 cm12mm5.5 h-2° / -7°0.41.71.6
Apr39 cm165 cm15mm9.3 h2° / -4°0.11.23.4
May17 cm108 cm46mm11.1 h8° / 1°0.00.88.1
Jun2 cm18 cm117mm11.4 h13° / 6°0.00.016.0
Jul1 cm0 cm102mm11.9 h15° / 7°0.00.015.0
Aug0 cm0 cm110mm9.6 h13° / 7°0.00.016.0
Sept5 cm0 cm154mm6.6 h10° / 4°0.00.016.5
Oct38 cm6 cm99mm3.9 h4° / 0°0.40.413.2
Nov72 cm29 cm44mm2.3 h-1° / -5°0.51.06.5
Dec102 cm73 cm32mm1.2 h-3° / -7°0.90.94.2

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
2025/26404 cm48 cm1767
2024/25416 cm184 cm57170
2023/24570 cm240 cm66212
2022/23555 cm222 cm56187
2021/22389 cm196 cm14196
2020/21460 cm170 cm65190
2019/20best687 cm290 cm912197
2018/19leanest368 cm177 cm114191
2017/18432 cm216 cm29205
2016/17440 cm185 cm215198
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 1000m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Hovden 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
472 cm
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

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

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
above average
4
Ahead of 73% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
about average
9
Ahead of 48% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
below average
27
Drier than 62% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
181
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Hovden

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
21 November
Season ends
4 June
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
174cm average depth
Most new snow
December
102cm and 0.9 powder days
Best bluebird odds
March
1.7 bluebird days, 5.5h sun a day
Wettest month
May
8.1 rain days

Is Hovden a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysa long season

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

Figures are modelled at 1000m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Hovden snow record in detail

How much snow does Hovden get?

Hovden averages 472cm 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 2019/20 with 687cm, and the leanest was 2018/19 with 368cm — a difference of 319cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 404cm.

December is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 102cm and 17 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Hovden?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Hovden the snowpack peaks at an average of 193cm 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 174cm through the month and topping out around 189cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Hovden get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Hovden averages 4 powder days a season. That is above average, more powder days than 73% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

December has the most, 0.9 on average.

How often does Hovden get bluebird days?

Hovden averages 9 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is about average, more than 48% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

March is the best month for it, averaging 1.7 bluebird days and 5.5 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Hovden?

At mid-mountain Hovden sees an average of 27 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is below average: 38% 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 46mm on average.

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

Hovden typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 21 November through to 4 June, which works out at roughly 197 days of skiable cover in an average year. 181 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 Hovden are taken at 1000m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Hovden 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.

Hovden in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Hovden: the base averages 29cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It brings 72cm of new snow in an average year, with 14 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are -1°C and lows -5°C, with 2.3 hours of sunshine a day and 1 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 6.5 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Hovden in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 73cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 102cm of new snow on average, 17 snow days and 0.9 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -7°C, with 1.2 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 4.2 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average December.

Hovden in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 117cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 92cm of new snow on average, 15 snow days and 1.2 powder days. Average highs are -4°C and lows -9°C, with 2.1 hours of sunshine a day and 1.5 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2 on average at mid-mountain.

Hovden in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 157cm. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 83cm of new snow on average, 14 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are -4°C and lows -9°C, with 3.5 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical February. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Hovden.

Hovden in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Hovden is at its deepest, averaging 174cm through the month and peaking around 189cm in a typical year. It brings 67cm of new snow in an average year, with 13 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -7°C, with 5.5 hours of sunshine a day and 1.7 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 1.6 on average at mid-mountain.

Hovden in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 165cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 39cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -4°C, with 9.3 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.4 on average at mid-mountain.

Hovden in May

Late season

In May the base averages 108cm, past its March peak of 174cm and thinning. It brings 17cm of new snow in an average year, with 4 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 8°C and lows 1°C, with 11.1 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 Hovden compares with nearby resorts

Of Hovden and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Hovden ranks 2 of 5 for snowfall, with 472cm a season. Voss gets more; Gaustablikk, Geilo and Kongsberg get less.

Voss has the most powder days (11 a season, against 4 here); Voss builds the deepest base (263cm against 193cm); and Voss gets the most bluebird days (10 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 Hovden and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Hovden—1000m472cm193cm49
Gaustablikk83 km1442m333cm137cm37
Geilo118 km989m246cm125cm05
Voss129 km529m652cm263cm1110
Kongsberg130 km450m224cm103cm25

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

More on Hovden

Ski resorts near Hovden

Distances are straight-line, not by road.