Zakopane snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at Lesser Poland, Poland · 2,749ft to 6,519ft

Over the last 10 seasons Zakopane, Poland has averaged 135in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 29in, 2 powder days and 9 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around December 21 to April 4.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Zakopane

135 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
29 in
Peak depth
typical season high
2
Powder days
6in+ in a day
9
Bluebird days
sun after snow
43
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
94
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Zakopane, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan27 in18 in0.3in4.4 h27° / 18°0.41.51.7
Feb26 in22 in0.3in5.4 h30° / 20°0.51.52.6
Mar18 in16 in0.6in8.0 h34° / 23°0.31.34.8
Apr17 in6 in1.6in9.2 h41° / 29°0.31.98.3
May7 in0 in5in10.8 h50° / 37°0.10.618.2
Jun0 in0 in6.6in12.6 h61° / 47°0.00.020.5
Jul0 in0 in7.6in12.6 h62° / 49°0.00.023.4
Aug0 in0 in6.2in11.6 h64° / 50°0.00.018.7
Sep2 in0 in5.1in9.0 h55° / 43°0.00.015.2
Oct11 in0 in2.8in6.9 h46° / 35°0.40.511.6
Nov16 in2 in1.1in5.1 h37° / 27°0.21.15.3
Dec24 in10 in0.3in3.7 h30° / 20°0.11.42.2

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
2025/26102 in22 in3384
2024/25leanest90 in30 in1616
2023/24158 in35 in21193
2022/23best159 in33 in31091
2021/22157 in31 in49128
2020/21125 in25 in0786
2019/20134 in24 in38102
2018/19155 in35 in18106
2017/18136 in30 in017126
2016/17134 in24 in214110
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 4,636ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Zakopane 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
135 in
Ahead of 70% of resortsMedian 111 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
below average
29 in
Ahead of 35% of resortsMedian 33 in

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
about average
2
Ahead of 43% of resortsMedian 2

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
about average
9
Ahead of 48% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
above average
43
Drier than 37% of resortsMedian 32

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

Skiable days
below average
94
Ahead of 35% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Zakopane

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

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
December 21
Season ends
April 4
Days of cover
106 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
22in average depth
Most new snow
January
27in and 0.4 powder days
Best bluebird odds
April
1.9 bluebird days, 9.2h sun a day
Wettest month
May
18.2 rain days

Is Zakopane a good place to ski or board?

heavy snowfall

On 10 years of record, Zakopane stands out for heavy snowfall.

Figures are modelled at 4,636ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Zakopane snow record in detail

How much snow does Zakopane get?

Zakopane averages 135in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is above average: more snow than 70% 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 2022/23 with 159in, and the leanest was 2024/25 with 90in — a difference of 69in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 102in.

January is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 27in and 13 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Zakopane?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Zakopane the snowpack peaks at an average of 29in each season. That is below average, deeper than 35% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in February, averaging 22in through the month and topping out around 26in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Zakopane get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Zakopane averages 2 powder days a season. That is about average, more powder days than 43% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median is 2 a season.

January has the most, 0.4 on average.

How often does Zakopane get bluebird days?

Zakopane averages 9 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 4in or more of fresh snow. That is about average, more than 48% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

April is the best month for it, averaging 1.9 bluebird days and 9.2 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Zakopane?

At mid-mountain Zakopane sees an average of 43 days a season with 0.04in or more of rain rather than snow. That is above average: 63% 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 18.2 rain days and 5in on average.

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

Zakopane typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around December 21 through to April 4, which works out at roughly 106 days of skiable cover in an average year. 94 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is below average compared with the 40 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, April.

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 Zakopane are taken at 4,636ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Zakopane 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.

Zakopane in November

Too early

In November cover at mid-mountain is usually too thin to rely on, averaging 2in through the month. It brings 16in of new snow in an average year, with 7 snow days and 0.2 powder days. Average highs are 37°F and lows 27°F, with 5.1 hours of sunshine a day and 1.1 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 5.3 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average November.

Zakopane in December

Early and thin

December is the start of the season at Zakopane: the base averages 10in, which is skiable in a good year but patchy in a poor one. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 24in of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 30°F and lows 20°F, with 3.7 hours of sunshine a day and 1.4 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.2 on average at mid-mountain.

Zakopane in January

Best all round

January is when the base starts to build, averaging 18in and deepening towards its February peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 27in of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 0.4 powder days. Average highs are 27°F and lows 18°F, with 4.4 hours of sunshine a day and 1.5 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 1.7 on average at mid-mountain. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Zakopane.

Zakopane in February

Deepest base

February is when the base at Zakopane is at its deepest, averaging 22in through the month and peaking around 26in in a typical year. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 26in of new snow on average, 13 snow days and 0.5 powder days. Average highs are 30°F and lows 20°F, with 5.4 hours of sunshine a day and 1.5 bluebird days. Expect the odd wet day — 2.6 on average at mid-mountain.

Zakopane in March

Still deep

March still has a deep base, averaging 17in — only a little down on the February peak. It brings 18in of new snow in an average year, with 10 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 34°F and lows 23°F, with 8 hours of sunshine a day and 1.3 bluebird days. Rain is a real risk: 4.8 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average March.

Zakopane in April

Thinning out

In April the base is down to an average of 6in, enough on the upper mountain in most years but not something to count on lower down. It brings 17in of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 41°F and lows 29°F, with 9.2 hours of sunshine a day and 1.9 bluebird days, the most of any month. Rain is a real risk: 8.3 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average April.

How Zakopane compares with nearby resorts

Of Zakopane and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Zakopane ranks 2 of 5 for snowfall, with 135in a season. Kasprowy Wierch gets more; Białka Tatrzańska, Štrbské Pleso and Tatranská Lomnica get less.

Kasprowy Wierch has the most powder days (3 a season, against 2 here); Kasprowy Wierch builds the deepest base (31in against 29in); and Kasprowy Wierch gets the most bluebird days (11 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 Zakopane and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Zakopane—4,636ft135in29in29
Kasprowy Wierch5 mi6,519ft143in31in311
Białka Tatrzańska9 mi2,694ft69in19in02
Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia14 mi5,545ft132in30in29
Tatranská Lomnica, Slovakia17 mi5,715ft101in20in16

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

More on Zakopane

Ski resorts near Zakopane

Distances are straight-line, not by road.