Sestriere snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Piedmont, Italy · 6,677ft to 9,262ft

Over the last 10 seasons Sestriere, Italy has averaged 157in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 59in, 6 powder days and 23 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around November 21 to May 20.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Sestriere

158 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
59 in
Peak depth
typical season high
6
Powder days
6in+ in a day
23
Bluebird days
sun after snow
16
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
170
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Sestriere, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan23 in36 in0in7.2 h22° / 7°0.53.90.3
Feb17 in43 in0.1in8.2 h28° / 12°0.41.90.3
Mar24 in49 in0.1in9.2 h29° / 13°0.83.80.3
Apr20 in39 in0.2in10.5 h36° / 20°0.72.92.0
May17 in17 in1.8in11.4 h44° / 27°0.92.410.0
Jun0 in0 in3in13.4 h58° / 37°0.00.014.4
Jul1 in0 in1.5in14.2 h63° / 41°0.10.29.5
Aug1 in0 in2.1in12.5 h63° / 40°0.10.29.2
Sep1 in0 in1.8in10.7 h54° / 34°0.00.18.3
Oct8 in1 in2.3in8.3 h45° / 28°0.20.77.2
Nov30 in10 in0.4in6.8 h31° / 17°1.43.42.6
Dec26 in27 in0.1in6.7 h24° / 11°1.04.40.5

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
2025/26122 in46 in12270
2024/25140 in52 in417168
2023/24225 in85 in1235207
2022/23149 in45 in626155
2021/22leanest97 in39 in310171
2020/21118 in43 in311172
2019/20187 in78 in1028187
2018/19123 in52 in316205
2017/18best241 in97 in1033180
2016/17172 in59 in529184
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 7,969ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Sestriere 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 above average
157 in
Ahead of 80% of resortsMedian 111 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
59 in
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 33 in

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
well above average
6
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
among the very best we track
23
Ahead of 98% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
16
Drier than 85% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
170
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Sestriere

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

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
November 21
Season ends
May 20
Days of cover
182 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
49in average depth
Most new snow
November
30in and 1.4 powder days
Best bluebird odds
December
4.4 bluebird days, 6.7h sun a day
Wettest month
May
10.0 rain days

Is Sestriere a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfalla deep, reliable basefrequent powder daysplenty of bluebird daysvery little raina long season

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

Figures are modelled at 7,969ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Sestriere snow record in detail

How much snow does Sestriere get?

Sestriere averages 157in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is well above average: more snow than 80% 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 241in, and the leanest was 2021/22 with 97in — a difference of 143in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 122in.

November is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 30in and 9 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Sestriere?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Sestriere the snowpack peaks at an average of 59in each season. That is well above average, deeper than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 49in through the month and topping out around 56in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Sestriere get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Sestriere averages 6 powder days a season. That is well above average, more powder days than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

November has the most, 1.4 on average.

How often does Sestriere get bluebird days?

Sestriere averages 23 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.

December is the best month for it, averaging 4.4 bluebird days and 6.7 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Sestriere?

At mid-mountain Sestriere sees an average of 16 days a season with 0.04in or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 15% 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 10.0 rain days and 1.8in on average.

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

Sestriere typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around November 21 through to May 20, which works out at roughly 182 days of skiable cover in an average year. 170 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, November; for fresh snow with sunshine, December.

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 Sestriere are taken at 7,969ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Sestriere 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.

Sestriere in November

Early and thin

November is the start of the season at Sestriere: the base averages 10in, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 30in of new snow on average, 9 snow days and 1.4 powder days. Average highs are 31°F and lows 17°F, with 6.8 hours of sunshine a day and 3.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.6 on average at mid-mountain.

Sestriere in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 28in and deepening towards its March peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 26in of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 1 powder days. Average highs are 24°F and lows 11°F, with 6.7 hours of sunshine a day and 4.4 bluebird days, the most of any month. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Sestriere in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 36in. It brings 23in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 22°F and lows 7°F, with 7.2 hours of sunshine a day and 3.9 bluebird days.

Sestriere in February

Base building

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 43in. It brings 17in of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 28°F and lows 12°F, with 8.2 hours of sunshine a day and 1.9 bluebird days.

Sestriere in March

Best all round

March is when the base at Sestriere is at its deepest, averaging 49in through the month and peaking around 56in in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 24in of new snow on average, 9 snow days and 0.8 powder days. Average highs are 29°F and lows 13°F, with 9.2 hours of sunshine a day and 3.8 bluebird days. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Sestriere.

Sestriere in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 39in — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 20in of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.7 powder days. Average highs are 36°F and lows 20°F, with 10.5 hours of sunshine a day and 2.9 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2 on average at mid-mountain.

Sestriere in May

Late season

In May the base averages 17in, past its March peak of 49in and thinning. It brings 17in of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.9 powder days. Average highs are 44°F and lows 27°F, with 11.4 hours of sunshine a day and 2.4 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 10 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Sestriere compares with nearby resorts

Of Sestriere and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Sestriere ranks 3 of 5 for snowfall, with 157in a season. Pragelato and Bardonecchia get more; Sauze d'Oulx and Claviere get less.

Pragelato has the most powder days (7 a season, against 6 here); Bardonecchia builds the deepest base (74in against 59in); and Sestriere 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 Sestriere and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Sestriere—7,969ft157in59in623
Sauze d'Oulx5 mi7,110ft155in61in521
Claviere6 mi7,480ft156in61in522
Pragelato6 mi7,133ft174in54in722
Bardonecchia12 mi6,663ft183in74in723

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

More on Sestriere

Ski resorts near Sestriere

Distances are straight-line, not by road.