Squaw Valley snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at California, USA · 1,899m to 2,758m

Over the last 10 seasons Squaw Valley, USA has averaged 633cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 204cm, 13 powder days and 25 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 15 December to 17 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Squaw Valley

633 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
204 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
13
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
25
Bluebird days
sun after snow
23
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
148
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Squaw Valley, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan127 cm91 cm16mm7.0 h1° / -8°3.04.92.5
Feb135 cm126 cm23mm7.7 h1° / -9°3.33.42.0
Mar123 cm155 cm10mm8.8 h3° / -7°2.54.42.2
Apr49 cm129 cm15mm11.1 h7° / -5°1.02.93.0
May18 cm63 cm21mm12.7 h11° / -2°0.21.25.3
Jun1 cm10 cm11mm13.6 h19° / 4°0.00.02.5
Jul0 cm0 cm8mm13.9 h25° / 8°0.00.02.1
Aug0 cm0 cm13mm13.1 h24° / 8°0.00.03.0
Sept2 cm0 cm18mm11.6 h19° / 5°0.00.03.6
Oct14 cm1 cm43mm9.9 h12° / 0°0.20.23.8
Nov58 cm11 cm28mm8.0 h5° / -5°0.73.63.9
Dec123 cm44 cm38mm6.6 h1° / -7°2.74.24.0

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
2025/26410 cm187 cm101990
2024/25588 cm173 cm1018175
2023/24539 cm212 cm1024136
2022/23990 cm320 cm2327201
2021/22551 cm182 cm1216157
2020/21leanest385 cm119 cm627125
2019/20493 cm167 cm919161
2018/19888 cm275 cm2430182
2017/18469 cm124 cm62768
2016/17best1019 cm284 cm2439180
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 2329m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Squaw Valley 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
among the very best we track
633 cm
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

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

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
among the very best we track
13
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
25
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
below average
23
Drier than 72% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
148
Ahead of 75% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Squaw Valley

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
15 December
Season ends
17 May
Days of cover
155 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
155cm average depth
Most new snow
February
135cm and 3.3 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
4.9 bluebird days, 7.0h sun a day
Wettest month
May
5.3 rain days

Is Squaw Valley a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysvery little raina long season

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

Figures are modelled at 2329m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Squaw Valley snow record in detail

How much snow does Squaw Valley get?

Squaw Valley averages 633cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is among the very best we track: more snow than 95% 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 2016/17 with 1019cm, and the leanest was 2020/21 with 385cm — a difference of 634cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 410cm.

February is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 135cm and 10 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Squaw Valley?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Squaw Valley the snowpack peaks at an average of 204cm 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 155cm through the month and topping out around 185cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Squaw Valley get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Squaw Valley averages 13 powder days a season. That is among the very best we track, more powder days than 98% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

February has the most, 3.3 on average.

How often does Squaw Valley get bluebird days?

Squaw Valley averages 25 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 10cm or more of fresh snow. That is among the very best we track, more than 98% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

January is the best month for it, averaging 4.9 bluebird days and 7.0 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Squaw Valley?

At mid-mountain Squaw Valley sees an average of 23 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 5.3 rain days and 21mm on average.

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

Squaw Valley typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 15 December through to 17 May, which works out at roughly 155 days of skiable cover in an average year. 148 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, February; 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 Squaw Valley are taken at 2329m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Squaw Valley 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.

Squaw Valley in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 11cm through the month. It brings 58cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are 5°C and lows -5°C, with 8 hours of sunshine a day and 3.6 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.9 on average at mid-mountain.

Squaw Valley in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 44cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 123cm of new snow on average, 8 snow days and 2.7 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -7°C, with 6.6 hours of sunshine a day and 4.2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average December.

Squaw Valley in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 91cm. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 127cm of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 3 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -8°C, with 7 hours of sunshine a day and 4.9 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 2.5 on average at mid-mountain.

Squaw Valley in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 126cm. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 135cm of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 3.3 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -9°C, with 7.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2 on average at mid-mountain.

Squaw Valley in March

Best all round

March is when the base at Squaw Valley is at its deepest, averaging 155cm through the month and peaking around 185cm in a typical year. It brings 123cm of new snow in an average year, with 12 snow days and 2.5 powder days. Average highs are 3°C and lows -7°C, with 8.8 hours of sunshine a day and 4.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.2 on average at mid-mountain. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Squaw Valley.

Squaw Valley in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 129cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 49cm of new snow in an average year, with 6 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are 7°C and lows -5°C, with 11.1 hours of sunshine a day and 2.9 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3 on average at mid-mountain.

Squaw Valley in May

Late season

In May the base averages 63cm, past its March peak of 155cm and thinning. It brings 18cm of new snow in an average year, with 3 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 11°C and lows -2°C, with 12.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 5.3 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

More on Squaw Valley

Ski resorts near Squaw Valley

Distances are straight-line, not by road.