Big Sky snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Montana, USA · 7,500ft to 11,214ft

Over the last 10 seasons Big Sky, USA has averaged 137in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 48in, 1 powder day and 17 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around November 21 to May 30.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Big Sky

137 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
48 in
Peak depth
typical season high
1
Powder days
6in+ in a day
17
Bluebird days
sun after snow
10
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
184
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Big Sky, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan15 in27 in0in6.2 h18° / 4°0.10.80.0
Feb21 in36 in0in7.1 h19° / 3°0.12.00.0
Mar20 in38 in0.1in8.9 h26° / 10°0.12.60.3
Apr28 in40 in0.2in10.0 h32° / 14°0.35.71.2
May21 in27 in1in11.6 h42° / 24°0.33.57.9
Jun9 in2 in2.6in12.7 h52° / 31°0.31.413.3
Jul0 in0 in2.5in14.2 h65° / 43°0.00.113.0
Aug1 in0 in2.6in12.2 h63° / 42°0.00.013.0
Sep5 in1 in1.9in10.6 h54° / 33°0.00.69.4
Oct18 in4 in0.8in8.4 h37° / 19°0.42.03.9
Nov17 in10 in0.1in6.8 h26° / 10°0.01.90.3
Dec16 in19 in0in5.7 h19° / 4°0.00.60.0

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
2025/26119 in75 in213189
2024/25159 in42 in117192
2023/24131 in32 in216144
2022/23128 in58 in212199
2021/22140 in43 in010168
2020/21leanest118 in39 in012163
2019/20132 in46 in020211
2018/19133 in48 in112203
2017/18best168 in52 in028201
2016/17145 in43 in131174
How these numbers are calculated
  • Powder day — at least 6in of new snow in 24 hours.
  • Bluebird day — sunshine for at least 60% of daylight, following at least 4in of snow over the previous 3 days.
  • Rain day — at least 0.04in of rain (not snow) at this elevation.
  • Skiable day — at least 12in of settled snow on the ground.
  • Snow depth is modelled from Open-Meteo / ERA5 reanalysis at 9,357ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Big Sky 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
above average
137 in
Ahead of 73% of resortsMedian 111 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
48 in
Ahead of 83% of resortsMedian 33 in

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

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

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
well above average
17
Ahead of 78% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
10
Drier than 92% of resortsMedian 32

Days with 0.04in or more of rain, not snow.

Skiable days
well above average
184
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Big Sky

Typical stretch holding 12in or more of settled snow, averaged over the record.

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
November 21
Season ends
May 30
Days of cover
192 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
April
40in average depth
Most new snow
April
28in and 0.3 powder days
Best bluebird odds
April
5.7 bluebird days, 10.0h sun a day
Wettest month
May
7.9 rain days

Is Big Sky a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable baseplenty of bluebird daysvery little raina long season

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

Figures are modelled at 9,357ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Big Sky snow record in detail

How much snow does Big Sky get?

Big Sky averages 137in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is above average: more snow than 73% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 111in.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2017/18 with 168in, and the leanest was 2020/21 with 118in — a difference of 50in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 119in.

April is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 28in and 14 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Big Sky?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Big Sky the snowpack peaks at an average of 48in each season. That is well above average, deeper than 83% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in April, averaging 40in through the month and topping out around 45in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Big Sky get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Big Sky 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.

April has the most, 0.3 on average.

How often does Big Sky get bluebird days?

Big Sky averages 17 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 4in or more of fresh snow. That is well above average, more than 78% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

April is the best month for it, averaging 5.7 bluebird days and 10.0 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Big Sky?

At mid-mountain Big Sky sees an average of 10 days a season with 0.04in 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 7.9 rain days and 1in on average.

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

Big Sky typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around November 21 through to May 30, which works out at roughly 192 days of skiable cover in an average year. 184 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.

April has it all at Big Sky: the deepest base, the most new snow and the most bluebird days fall in the same month.

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 Big Sky are taken at 9,357ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Big Sky 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.

Big Sky in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Big Sky: the base averages 10in, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It brings 17in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 10°F, with 6.8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.9 bluebird days.

Big Sky in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 19in and deepening towards its April peak. It brings 17in of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 19°F and lows 4°F, with 5.7 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Big Sky in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 27in. It brings 15in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 18°F and lows 4°F, with 6.2 hours of sunshine a day.

Big Sky in February

Base building

Through February the base keeps building, to an average of 36in. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 21in of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 19°F and lows 3°F, with 7.1 hours of sunshine a day and 2 bluebird days.

Big Sky in March

Base building

By March the base is close to its April peak, averaging 38in. It brings 20in of new snow in an average year, with 12 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 10°F, with 8.9 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days.

Big Sky in April

Best all round

April is when the base at Big Sky is at its deepest, averaging 40in through the month and peaking around 44in in a typical year. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 28in of new snow on average, 14 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 32°F and lows 14°F, with 10 hours of sunshine a day and 5.7 bluebird days, the most of any month. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Big Sky.

Big Sky in May

Late season

In May the base averages 28in, past its April peak of 40in and thinning. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 21in of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 42°F and lows 24°F, with 11.6 hours of sunshine a day and 3.5 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 7.9 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

More on Big Sky

Ski resorts near Big Sky

Distances are straight-line, not by road.