Garmisch-Partenkirchen snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Bavaria, Germany · 2,323ft to 9,718ft

Over the last 10 seasons Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany has averaged 139in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 43in, 3 powder days and 13 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around December 5 to April 21.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Garmisch-Partenkirchen

139 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
43 in
Peak depth
typical season high
3
Powder days
6in+ in a day
13
Bluebird days
sun after snow
53
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
134
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan30 in28 in0.3in5.5 h25° / 9°1.12.61.9
Feb21 in34 in0.6in6.6 h31° / 14°0.72.13.1
Mar21 in31 in1.1in8.0 h36° / 18°0.21.76.3
Apr16 in18 in2in9.5 h43° / 24°0.01.410.3
May6 in3 in7in9.8 h49° / 32°0.10.821.3
Jun0 in0 in7.6in11.7 h59° / 42°0.00.020.1
Jul0 in0 in9.1in11.5 h60° / 44°0.00.022.1
Aug0 in0 in8.6in10.3 h61° / 44°0.00.021.1
Sep3 in0 in5.7in9.0 h54° / 37°0.20.216.4
Oct6 in0 in3.6in7.3 h47° / 30°0.00.512.3
Nov21 in4 in1.2in5.8 h36° / 20°0.52.25.9
Dec25 in16 in0.7in4.9 h28° / 13°0.52.14.0

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
2025/26116 in51 in3790
2024/25leanest92 in30 in011122
2023/24182 in41 in412150
2022/23139 in28 in27129
2021/22120 in41 in311137
2020/21147 in50 in214157
2019/20133 in44 in316156
2018/19best190 in56 in1017164
2017/18153 in54 in416157
2016/17118 in30 in01882
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 6,020ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Garmisch-Partenkirchen compares

Measured against 39 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
139 in
Ahead of 72% of resortsMedian 107 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
above average
43 in
Ahead of 72% of resortsMedian 33 in

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
about average
3
Ahead of 59% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
above average
13
Ahead of 62% of resortsMedian 9

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well above average
53
Drier than 18% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
above average
134
Ahead of 62% of resortsMedian 114

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Garmisch-Partenkirchen

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

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
December 5
Season ends
April 21
Days of cover
139 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
34in average depth
Most new snow
January
30in and 1.1 powder days
Best bluebird odds
January
2.6 bluebird days, 5.5h sun a day
Wettest month
May
21.3 rain days

Is Garmisch-Partenkirchen a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable baseit sees more rain than most

On 10 years of record, Garmisch-Partenkirchen stands out for heavy snowfall and a deep, reliable base. The trade-off is that it sees more rain than most.

Figures are modelled at 6,020ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen snow record in detail

How much snow does Garmisch-Partenkirchen get?

Garmisch-Partenkirchen averages 139in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is above average: more snow than 72% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 107in.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2018/19 with 190in, and the leanest was 2024/25 with 92in — a difference of 97in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 116in.

January is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 30in and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Garmisch-Partenkirchen the snowpack peaks at an average of 43in each season. That is above average, deeper than 72% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in February, averaging 34in through the month and topping out around 39in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Garmisch-Partenkirchen get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Garmisch-Partenkirchen averages 3 powder days a season. That is about average, more powder days than 59% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

January has the most, 1.1 on average.

How often does Garmisch-Partenkirchen get bluebird days?

Garmisch-Partenkirchen averages 13 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 4in or more of fresh snow. That is above average, more than 62% of 39 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 9.

January is the best month for it, averaging 2.6 bluebird days and 5.5 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?

At mid-mountain Garmisch-Partenkirchen sees an average of 53 days a season with 0.04in or more of rain rather than snow. That is well above average: 82% of the 39 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 21.3 rain days and 7in on average.

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

Garmisch-Partenkirchen typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around December 5 through to April 21, which works out at roughly 139 days of skiable cover in an average year. 134 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is above average compared with the 39 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, January.

Comparisons use 39 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 Garmisch-Partenkirchen are taken at 6,020ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen 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.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 4in through the month. It brings 20in of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 36°F and lows 20°F, with 5.8 hours of sunshine a day and 2.2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 5.9 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 17in and deepening towards its February peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 24in of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 28°F and lows 13°F, with 4.9 hours of sunshine a day and 2.1 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average December.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in January

Best all round

By January the base is close to its February peak, averaging 28in. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 30in of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 1.1 powder days. Average highs are 25°F and lows 9°F, with 5.5 hours of sunshine a day and 2.6 bluebird days, the most of any month. Expect the odd wet day — 1.9 on average at mid-mountain. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in February

Deepest base

February is when the base at Garmisch-Partenkirchen is at its deepest, averaging 34in through the month and peaking around 39in in a typical year. It brings 21in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are 31°F and lows 14°F, with 6.6 hours of sunshine a day and 2.1 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.1 on average at mid-mountain.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in March

Still deep

March still has a deep base, averaging 31in — only a little down on the February peak. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 21in of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 36°F and lows 18°F, with 8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.7 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 6.3 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average March.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen in April

Late season

In April the base averages 18in, past its February peak of 34in and thinning. It brings 16in of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 43°F and lows 24°F, with 9.5 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 10.3 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

How Garmisch-Partenkirchen compares with nearby resorts

Of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Garmisch-Partenkirchen ranks first for snowfall, with 139in a season. Every one of its neighbours gets less.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen has the most powder days of the group (3 a season); Zugspitze builds the deepest base (47in against 43in); and Garmisch-Partenkirchen also gets the most bluebird days.

Each resort is measured at its own mid-mountain height, so part of any difference is altitude: a resort modelled 1,640ft higher will usually hold more snow. The table shows the height each figure comes from.

Ten-year snow averages for Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Garmisch-Partenkirchen—6,020ft139in43in313
Wank1 mi5,840ft139in43in313
Zugspitze8 mi9,718ft134in47in312
Seefeld, Austria12 mi5,381ft114in47in29
Innsbruck, Austria21 mi6,191ft129in46in311

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

More on Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Ski resorts near Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Distances are straight-line, not by road.