Varingskollen snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Akershus, Norway · 400m to 600m

Over the last 10 seasons Varingskollen, Norway has averaged 185cm of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 69cm, 1 powder day and 4 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around 28 December to 24 March.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Varingskollen

185 cm
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
69 cm
Peak depth
typical season high
1
Powder days
15cm+ in a day
4
Bluebird days
sun after snow
45
Rain days
1mm+ of rain
82
Skiable days
30cm+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Varingskollen, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan49 cm42 cm16mm2.5 h-3° / -8°0.20.62.7
Feb32 cm53 cm21mm4.6 h-2° / -8°0.10.93.7
Mar28 cm46 cm24mm7.3 h2° / -5°0.21.24.7
Apr15 cm21 cm34mm10.3 h8° / -1°0.20.75.8
May4 cm2 cm73mm12.2 h14° / 4°0.00.010.8
Jun0 cm0 cm109mm13.1 h18° / 9°0.00.012.7
Jul0 cm0 cm122mm12.7 h19° / 11°0.00.014.1
Aug0 cm0 cm105mm10.6 h17° / 10°0.00.014.1
Sept0 cm0 cm120mm7.5 h13° / 7°0.00.013.2
Oct5 cm0 cm110mm4.8 h7° / 2°0.00.013.5
Nov20 cm6 cm77mm2.5 h1° / -2°0.00.210.1
Dec37 cm19 cm35mm1.9 h-2° / -6°0.20.26.7

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
2025/26126 cm50 cm0241
2024/25leanest109 cm55 cm1157
2023/24221 cm88 cm02122
2022/23best257 cm87 cm15131
2021/22111 cm46 cm1357
2020/21211 cm75 cm2495
2019/20194 cm48 cm0362
2018/19206 cm96 cm18114
2017/18256 cm102 cm26120
2016/17160 cm38 cm1416
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 500m, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Varingskollen 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 below average
185 cm
Ahead of 23% of resortsMedian 283 cm

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
below average
69 cm
Ahead of 33% 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
below average
4
Ahead of 33% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
above average
45
Drier than 37% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
below average
82
Ahead of 33% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 30cm or more of settled snow.

The season at Varingskollen

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

SeptOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
28 December
Season ends
24 March
Days of cover
88 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
February
53cm average depth
Most new snow
January
49cm and 0.2 powder days
Best bluebird odds
March
1.2 bluebird days, 7.3h sun a day
Wettest month
May
10.8 rain days

Is Varingskollen a good place to ski or board?

snowfall is on the light side

On 10 years of record, Varingskollen is a mixed picture: snowfall is on the light side. It can still ski well in a good year — 2022/23 produced 257cm — but the averages argue for flexibility on timing.

Figures are modelled at 500m from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Varingskollen snow record in detail

How much snow does Varingskollen get?

Varingskollen averages 185cm of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is well below average: more snow than 23% 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 2022/23 with 257cm, and the leanest was 2024/25 with 109cm — a difference of 148cm between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 126cm.

January is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 49cm and 9 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Varingskollen?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Varingskollen the snowpack peaks at an average of 69cm each season. That is below average, deeper than 33% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 84cm.

The base is deepest in February, averaging 53cm through the month and topping out around 63cm in a typical year.

How many powder days does Varingskollen get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 15cm of new snow, Varingskollen 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.

January has the most, 0.2 on average.

How often does Varingskollen get bluebird days?

Varingskollen averages 4 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 33% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

March is the best month for it, averaging 1.2 bluebird days and 7.3 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Varingskollen?

At mid-mountain Varingskollen sees an average of 45 days a season with 1mm or more of rain rather than snow. That is above average: 63% 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 10.8 rain days and 73mm on average.

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

Varingskollen typically holds at least 30cm of settled snow from around 28 December through to 24 March, which works out at roughly 88 days of skiable cover in an average year. 82 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is below average compared with the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

For the deepest base, go in February; for the most new snow, January; 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 Varingskollen are taken at 500m. Corpus last rebuilt 2 September 2026.

Varingskollen 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.

Varingskollen in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 6cm through the month. It brings 20cm of new snow in an average year, with 4 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 1°C and lows -2°C, with 2.5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 10.1 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Varingskollen in December

Early and thin

December is the start of the season at Varingskollen: the base averages 19cm, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 37cm of new snow on average, 9 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -6°C, with 1.9 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 6.7 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average December.

Varingskollen in January

Best all round

January is when the base starts to build, averaging 42cm and deepening towards its February peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 49cm of new snow on average, 9 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are -3°C and lows -8°C, with 2.5 hours of sunshine a day. Expect the odd wet day — 2.7 on average at mid-mountain. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Varingskollen.

Varingskollen in February

Deepest base

February is when the base at Varingskollen is at its deepest, averaging 53cm through the month and peaking around 63cm in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 32cm of new snow on average, 8 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are -2°C and lows -8°C, with 4.6 hours of sunshine a day. Expect the odd wet day — 3.7 on average at mid-mountain.

Varingskollen in March

Still deep

March still has a deep base, averaging 46cm — only a little down on the February peak. It brings 28cm of new snow in an average year, with 6 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 2°C and lows -5°C, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days, the most of any month. Rain is a real risk: 4.7 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average March.

Varingskollen in April

Thinning out

In April the base is down to an average of 21cm, enough on the upper mountain in most years but not something to count on lower down. It brings 15cm of new snow in an average year, with 3 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 8°C and lows -1°C, with 10.3 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 5.8 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

How Varingskollen compares with nearby resorts

Of Varingskollen and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Varingskollen ranks last for snowfall, with 185cm a season. Every one of its neighbours gets more.

Gaustablikk has the most powder days (3 a season, against 1 here); Gaustablikk builds the deepest base (137cm against 69cm); and Gaustablikk gets the most bluebird days (7 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 Varingskollen and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Varingskollen—500m185cm69cm14
Norefjell70 km655m228cm110cm25
Kongsberg83 km450m224cm103cm25
Gaustablikk122 km1442m333cm137cm37
Hafjell126 km1030m194cm103cm03

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

More on Varingskollen

Ski resorts near Varingskollen

Distances are straight-line, not by road.