Sun Valley snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Idaho, USA · 1,774m to 3,048m

Over the last 10 seasons Sun Valley, USA has averaged 287cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 118cm, 1 powder day and 11 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 14 December to 8 May.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Sun Valley

287 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
118 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
1
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
11
Bluebird days
sun after snow
13
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
149
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Sun Valley, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan43 cm65 cm0mm6.7 h-3° / -14°0.11.60.0
Feb61 cm85 cm1mm7.3 h-3° / -14°0.32.50.1
Mar48 cm95 cm3mm9.1 h0° / -11°0.42.20.7
Apr32 cm72 cm7mm10.8 h4° / -8°0.11.12.3
May19 cm21 cm23mm12.3 h10° / -3°0.00.67.6
Jun6 cm1 cm35mm13.5 h16° / 1°0.00.27.2
Jul0 cm0 cm17mm14.1 h23° / 7°0.00.04.4
Aug0 cm0 cm26mm12.6 h22° / 6°0.00.05.8
Sept3 cm0 cm27mm11.0 h16° / 2°0.00.25.9
Oct17 cm2 cm22mm9.1 h8° / -5°0.10.83.8
Nov32 cm11 cm5mm7.3 h1° / -10°0.21.41.7
Dec53 cm37 cm2mm6.2 h-3° / -14°0.31.80.6

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
2025/26242 cm126 cm210103
2024/25297 cm123 cm111152
2023/24265 cm110 cm09117
2022/23357 cm153 cm315194
2021/22245 cm90 cm09147
2020/21207 cm86 cm19168
2019/20leanest195 cm84 cm05140
2018/19355 cm147 cm112147
2017/18275 cm103 cm214156
2016/17best435 cm158 cm418170
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 2411m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Sun 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
about average
287 cm
Ahead of 50% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
118 cm
Ahead of 80% of resortsMedian 84 cm

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
below average
1
Ahead of 35% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 15cm or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
above average
11
Ahead of 63% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
13
Drier than 92% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
149
Ahead of 75% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Sun Valley

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
14 December
Season ends
8 May
Days of cover
147 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
95cm average depth
Most new snow
February
61cm and 0.3 powder days
Best bluebird odds
February
2.5 bluebird days, 7.3h sun a day
Wettest month
May
7.6 rain days

Is Sun Valley a good place to ski or board?

a deep, reliable basevery little raina long season

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

Figures are modelled at 2411m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Sun Valley snow record in detail

How much snow does Sun Valley get?

Sun Valley averages 287cm 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 2016/17 with 435cm, and the leanest was 2019/20 with 195cm — a difference of 240cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 242cm.

February is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 61cm and 11 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Sun Valley?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Sun Valley the snowpack peaks at an average of 118cm each season. That is well above average, deeper than 80% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 95cm through the month and topping out around 112cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Sun Valley get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Sun Valley averages 1 powder day a season. That is below average, more powder days than 35% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

February has the most, 0.3 on average.

How often does Sun Valley get bluebird days?

Sun Valley averages 11 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 63% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

February is the best month for it, averaging 2.5 bluebird days and 7.3 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Sun Valley?

At mid-mountain Sun Valley sees an average of 13 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 8% 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 7.6 rain days and 23mm on average.

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

Sun Valley typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 14 December through to 8 May, which works out at roughly 147 days of skiable cover in an average year. 149 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, 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 Sun Valley are taken at 2411m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Sun 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.

Sun 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 32cm of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -10°C, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.7 on average at mid-mountain.

Sun Valley in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 37cm and deepening towards its March peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 53cm of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -14°C, with 6.2 hours of sunshine a day and 1.8 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Sun Valley in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 65cm. It brings 43cm of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -14°C, with 6.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.6 bluebird days.

Sun Valley in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 85cm. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 61cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -14°C, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2.5 bluebird days, the most of any month. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Sun Valley.

Sun Valley in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Sun Valley is at its deepest, averaging 95cm through the month and peaking around 112cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 48cm of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 0°C and lows -11°C, with 9.1 hours of sunshine a day and 2.2 bluebird days.

Sun Valley in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 72cm — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 32cm of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 4°C and lows -8°C, with 10.8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.1 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.3 on average at mid-mountain.

More on Sun Valley

Ski resorts near Sun Valley

Distances are straight-line, not by road.