Sun Valley snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Idaho, USA · 5,820ft to 10,000ft

Over the last 10 seasons Sun Valley, USA has averaged 113in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 46in, 1 powder day and 11 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around December 14 to May 8.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Sun Valley

113 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
46 in
Peak depth
typical season high
1
Powder days
6in+ in a day
11
Bluebird days
sun after snow
13
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
149
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Sun Valley, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan17 in26 in0in6.7 h26° / 7°0.11.60.0
Feb24 in33 in0in7.3 h26° / 7°0.32.50.1
Mar19 in37 in0.1in9.1 h33° / 13°0.42.20.7
Apr13 in28 in0.3in10.8 h39° / 18°0.11.12.3
May7 in8 in0.9in12.3 h49° / 27°0.00.67.6
Jun2 in0 in1.4in13.5 h61° / 34°0.00.27.2
Jul0 in0 in0.7in14.1 h74° / 44°0.00.04.4
Aug0 in0 in1in12.6 h71° / 43°0.00.05.8
Sep1 in0 in1.1in11.0 h61° / 35°0.00.25.9
Oct7 in1 in0.8in9.1 h46° / 24°0.10.83.8
Nov12 in4 in0.2in7.3 h34° / 14°0.21.41.7
Dec21 in14 in0.1in6.2 h26° / 7°0.31.80.6

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
2025/2695 in50 in210103
2024/25117 in48 in111152
2023/24104 in43 in09117
2022/23141 in60 in315194
2021/2296 in35 in09147
2020/2181 in34 in19168
2019/20leanest77 in33 in05140
2018/19140 in58 in112147
2017/18108 in41 in214156
2016/17best171 in62 in418170
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 7,910ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Sun Valley 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
about average
113 in
Ahead of 50% of resortsMedian 111 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
46 in
Ahead of 80% 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
above average
11
Ahead of 63% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
13
Drier than 92% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
well above average
149
Ahead of 75% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Sun Valley

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

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
December 14
Season ends
May 8
Days of cover
147 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
37in average depth
Most new snow
February
24in and 0.3 powder days
Best bluebird odds
February
2.5 bluebird days, 7.3h sun a day
Wettest month
May
7.6 rain days

Is Sun Valley a good place to ski or board?

a deep, reliable basevery little raina long season

On 10 years of record, Sun Valley stands out for a deep, reliable base, very little rain and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 7,910ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Sun Valley snow record in detail

How much snow does Sun Valley get?

Sun Valley averages 113in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is about average: more snow than 50% 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 2016/17 with 171in, and the leanest was 2019/20 with 77in — a difference of 94in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 95in.

February is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 24in and 11 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Sun Valley?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Sun Valley the snowpack peaks at an average of 46in each season. That is well above average, deeper than 80% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 37in through the month and topping out around 44in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Sun Valley get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Sun Valley 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.

February has the most, 0.3 on average.

How often does Sun Valley get bluebird days?

Sun Valley averages 11 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 63% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

February is the best month for it, averaging 2.5 bluebird days and 7.3 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Sun Valley?

At mid-mountain Sun Valley sees an average of 13 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 7.6 rain days and 0.9in on average.

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

Sun Valley typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around December 14 through to May 8, which works out at roughly 147 days of skiable cover in an average year. 149 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, February; for fresh snow with sunshine, February.

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 Sun Valley are taken at 7,910ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Sun Valley 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.

Sun Valley in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 4in through the month. It brings 13in of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 34°F and lows 14°F, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.7 on average at mid-mountain.

Sun Valley in December

Base building

December is when the base starts to build, averaging 15in and deepening towards its March peak. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 21in of new snow on average, 10 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 7°F, with 6.2 hours of sunshine a day and 1.8 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical December.

Sun Valley in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 26in. It brings 17in of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 7°F, with 6.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.6 bluebird days.

Sun Valley in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 33in. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 24in of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 7°F, with 7.3 hours of sunshine a day and 2.5 bluebird days, the most of any month. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Sun Valley.

Sun Valley in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Sun Valley is at its deepest, averaging 37in through the month and peaking around 44in in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 19in of new snow on average, 11 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 33°F and lows 13°F, with 9.1 hours of sunshine a day and 2.2 bluebird days.

Sun Valley in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 28in — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 13in of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 39°F and lows 18°F, with 10.8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.1 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.3 on average at mid-mountain.

More on Sun Valley

Ski resorts near Sun Valley

Distances are straight-line, not by road.