Melchsee-Frutt snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Obwalden, Switzerland · 6,299ft to 8,071ft

Over the last 10 seasons Melchsee-Frutt, Switzerland has averaged 252in of snowfall, 9 powder days and 28 bluebird days a year, on terrain high enough that the modelled snow never melts out.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Melchsee-Frutt

Glaciated terrain. At 7,185ft the modelled snow never melts out, staying above 253in even in August. Depth figures here describe accumulated glacier firn rather than a seasonal base, so they are not comparable with resorts that clear each summer and we do not rank them. Snowfall, powder days and bluebird days are unaffected.
252 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
Year-round
Snow cover
never melts out here
9
Powder days
6in+ in a day
28
Bluebird days
sun after snow
27
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
All season
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Melchsee-Frutt, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan46 in266 in0.2in5.8 h24° / 11°2.14.61.1
Feb33 in278 in0.1in7.0 h29° / 15°0.84.80.7
Mar42 in284 in0.2in7.9 h31° / 17°1.75.01.1
Apr31 in282 in0.6in9.8 h36° / 22°1.43.04.1
May22 in262 in2.9in10.1 h43° / 28°0.43.213.9
Jun1 in233 in5in11.8 h55° / 37°0.00.017.1
Jul0 in227 in6.5in11.9 h57° / 40°0.00.020.0
Aug1 in228 in6.2in10.8 h58° / 40°0.00.116.9
Sep9 in231 in3.7in9.3 h51° / 34°0.11.513.6
Oct17 in232 in3.8in7.6 h43° / 28°0.91.610.8
Nov35 in239 in0.7in5.7 h32° / 18°1.13.23.6
Dec43 in257 in0.5in5.2 h27° / 15°1.84.22.2

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
2025/26leanest175 in122 in714201
2024/25199 in302 in724212
2023/24best371 in340 in1534213
2022/23218 in306 in528212
2021/22221 in306 in1123212
2020/21256 in315 in829212
2019/20230 in324 in728213
2018/19316 in333 in1536212
2017/18303 in335 in931212
2016/17229 in302 in933212
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 7,185ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Melchsee-Frutt 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
252 in
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 111 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Snow cover
never melts out
Year-round
Not ranked

Glaciated ground, so depth is not a seasonal base.

Powder days
among the very best we track
9
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
28
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
below average
27
Drier than 62% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
snow all year
All season
Not ranked

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

When to go

These rarely land in the same month, so it is worth deciding which one matters most before you book.

Most new snow
January
46in and 2.1 powder days
Best bluebird odds
March
5.0 bluebird days, 7.9h sun a day
Wettest month
May
13.9 rain days

Is Melchsee-Frutt a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfallfrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird dayssnow cover that never melts out at mid-mountain

On 10 years of record, Melchsee-Frutt stands out for heavy snowfall, frequent powder days, plenty of bluebird days and snow cover that never melts out at mid-mountain.

Figures are modelled at 7,185ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Melchsee-Frutt snow record in detail

How much snow does Melchsee-Frutt get?

Melchsee-Frutt averages 252in 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 111in.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2023/24 with 371in, and the leanest was 2025/26 with 175in — a difference of 196in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 175in.

January is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 46in and 13 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Melchsee-Frutt?

The modelled snow at this elevation never melts out: the base does not drop below 253in at any point in the year, including August. That means Melchsee-Frutt is being measured on glaciated ground, where the reanalysis carries accumulated firn from one year into the next.

The consequence is that a peak depth figure here is not a seasonal base and cannot be compared with resorts that melt out each summer, so we do not rank it. Snow reliability at Melchsee-Frutt is not in question; the number simply is not measuring what it measures elsewhere. Use the snowfall and powder day figures below, which are unaffected.

How many powder days does Melchsee-Frutt get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Melchsee-Frutt averages 9 powder days a season. That is among the very best we track, more powder days than 95% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

January has the most, 2.1 on average.

How often does Melchsee-Frutt get bluebird days?

Melchsee-Frutt averages 28 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 4in 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.

March is the best month for it, averaging 5.0 bluebird days and 7.9 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Melchsee-Frutt?

At mid-mountain Melchsee-Frutt sees an average of 27 days a season with 0.04in or more of rain rather than snow. That is below average: 38% 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 13.9 rain days and 2.9in on average.

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

Because the snow at this elevation never fully melts, there is no meaningful date at which cover runs out — which is exactly why Melchsee-Frutt can offer skiing outside the normal season. Timing here is about snow quality and lift opening rather than whether there is snow at all.

For the deepest base, go in March; 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 Melchsee-Frutt are taken at 7,185ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Melchsee-Frutt 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.

Melchsee-Frutt in November

Snow guaranteed

Melchsee-Frutt is skied on glaciated ground, so in November, as in every month, cover is never the question: the modelled snow at this height does not melt out. It brings 35in of new snow in an average year, with 12 snow days and 1.1 powder days. Average highs are 32°F and lows 18°F, with 5.7 hours of sunshine a day and 3.2 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 3.6 on average at mid-mountain.

Melchsee-Frutt in December

Snow guaranteed

December is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 43in of new snow on average, 14 snow days and 1.8 powder days. Average highs are 27°F and lows 15°F, with 5.2 hours of sunshine a day and 4.2 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.2 on average at mid-mountain.

Melchsee-Frutt in January

Best all round

January is the snowiest month of the season, with 46in of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 2.1 powder days. Average highs are 24°F and lows 11°F, with 5.8 hours of sunshine a day and 4.6 bluebird days. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Melchsee-Frutt.

Melchsee-Frutt in February

Snow guaranteed

February brings 33in of new snow in an average year, with 11 snow days and 0.8 powder days. Average highs are 29°F and lows 15°F, with 7 hours of sunshine a day and 4.8 bluebird days.

Melchsee-Frutt in March

Snow guaranteed

March is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 42in of new snow on average, 14 snow days and 1.7 powder days. Average highs are 31°F and lows 17°F, with 7.9 hours of sunshine a day and 5 bluebird days, the most of any month.

Melchsee-Frutt in April

Snow guaranteed

April brings 31in of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 1.4 powder days. Average highs are 36°F and lows 22°F, with 9.8 hours of sunshine a day and 3 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4.1 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

Melchsee-Frutt in May

Snow guaranteed

May brings 22in of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 43°F and lows 28°F, with 10.1 hours of sunshine a day and 3.2 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 13.9 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Melchsee-Frutt compares with nearby resorts

Of Melchsee-Frutt and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Melchsee-Frutt ranks 2 of 5 for snowfall, with 252in a season. Engelberg gets more; Meiringen-Hasliberg, Grindelwald and Andermatt get less.

Meiringen-Hasliberg has the most powder days (11 a season, against 9 here); Andermatt builds the deepest base (93in); and Meiringen-Hasliberg gets the most bluebird days (30 a season).

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 Melchsee-Frutt and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Melchsee-Frutt—7,185ft252inGlacier928
Meiringen-Hasliberg6 mi5,764ft241in82in1130
Engelberg7 mi6,594ft265in84in1129
Grindelwald16 mi5,797ft244in77in1030
Andermatt19 mi7,234ft243in93in922

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

More on Melchsee-Frutt

Ski resorts near Melchsee-Frutt

Distances are straight-line, not by road.