snowingplaces

City in Bern, Switzerland

Bern

Switzerland's capital, on the Aare, an hour from the Bernese Oberland ski resorts.

Bern snow forecast

Out of season.

Forecasts for Bern pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.

Where is Bern?

Canton
Bern
Elevation
511 m
Population
136,988

When does it snow in Bern?

In Bern, snow falls on about 6 days in January in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from November to April.

Average days per month with at least 1 cm of snowfall in Bern, 2016–2025
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
6 days4 days2 days2 days<1 days0 days0 days0 days0 days<1 days2 days5 days

Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.

Snow in Bern month by month

Averages for 2016 to 2025, from ERA5 reanalysis data.

Average snow days, share of annual snowfall and temperature by month in Bern, 2016 to 2025
MonthSnow daysShare of the year's snowLow to high
January621%−3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F)
February416%−1 to 7 °C (30 to 45 °F)
March210%1 to 10 °C (34 to 50 °F)
April213%3 to 14 °C (37 to 57 °F)
May<11%8 to 17 °C (46 to 63 °F)
June00%13 to 23 °C (55 to 73 °F)
July00%14 to 24 °C (57 to 75 °F)
August00%14 to 24 °C (57 to 75 °F)
September00%10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F)
October<11%6 to 15 °C (43 to 59 °F)
November213%1 to 8 °C (34 to 46 °F)
December525%−2 to 5 °C (28 to 41 °F)

Snow in Bern in November

In November, Bern gets snow on about 2 days, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 8 °C (34 to 46 °F).

Snow in Bern in December

In December, Bern gets snow on about 5 days, and the month brings about 25% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −2 to 5 °C (28 to 41 °F).

Snow in Bern in January

In January, Bern gets snow on about 6 days, and the month brings about 21% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F).

Snow in Bern in February

In February, Bern gets snow on about 4 days, and the month brings about 16% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −1 to 7 °C (30 to 45 °F).

Snow in Bern in March

In March, Bern gets snow on about 2 days, and the month brings about 10% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 10 °C (34 to 50 °F).

Snow in Bern in April

In April, Bern gets snow on about 2 days, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 3 to 14 °C (37 to 57 °F).

Which winters were snowiest in Bern?

Of the last ten winters in Bern, 2020/21 was the snowiest, about 54% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2019/20, about 36% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 21 November 2024.

Snowfall in Bern for each of the last ten winters, as a percentage of the ten-year average
WinterCompared with average
2016/1773% of average
2017/18104% of average
2018/19127% of average
2019/2064% of average
2020/21154% of average
2021/22120% of average
2022/2389% of average
2023/2489% of average
2024/2572% of average
2025/26108% of average

Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.

Questions about snow in Bern

Does Bern have snow at Christmas?

Bern had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in 4 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in 2 of those years.

Does Bern have snow at New Year?

Bern had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in 3 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 5 of those years.

Does Bern have snow in mid-February?

Bern had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in 6 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in 7 of those years.

Does Bern have snow at Easter?

Bern had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in none of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 2 of those years.

How many days a year does it snow in Bern?

It snows on about 22 days a year in Bern, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. January has the most, about 6 days.

What is the snowiest month in Bern?

December is the snowiest month in Bern, bringing about 25% of the year's snowfall, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025. January has the most snowy days, about 6.

Which recent winter was the snowiest in Bern?

Of the last ten winters in Bern, 2020/21 was the snowiest, about 54% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2019/20, about 36% below average.

How cold does Bern get in winter?

January is the coldest month in Bern, with average daily lows of −3 °C (27 °F) and highs of 4 °C (39 °F).

Snow forecasts near Bern

Map of ski resorts and cities within 150 km of BernGrindelwald, about 60 km away, no snow this week; Crans-Montana, about 70 km away, no snow this week; Engelberg, about 70 km away, no snow this week; Andermatt, about 90 km away, no snow this week; Zurich, about 90 km away, out of season; Verbier, about 100 km away, no snow this week; Avoriaz, about 100 km away, out of season; Saas-Fee, about 100 km away, no snow this week; Zermatt, about 110 km away, no snow this week; Cervinia, about 110 km away, no snow this week; Chamonix, about 120 km away, out of season; Geneva, about 130 km away, out of season; Courmayeur, about 140 km away, no snow this week; Laax, about 140 km away, no snow this week; Megève, about 140 km away, out of season.50 km100 km150 kmNGrindelwald: No snow this weekCrans-Montana: No snow this weekEngelberg: No snow this weekAndermatt: No snow this weekZurich: Out of seasonVerbier: No snow this weekAvoriaz: Out of seasonSaas-Fee: No snow this weekZermatt: No snow this weekCervinia: No snow this weekChamonix: Out of seasonGeneva: Out of seasonCourmayeur: No snow this weekLaax: No snow this weekMegève: Out of seasonGrindelwaldCrans-MontanaEngelbergZurichVerbierAvoriazSaas-FeeZermattChamonixGenevaCourmayeurLaaxMegèveBern
Blue dots expect snow in the next 7 days. Distances are straight lines, not driving distances.
GrindelwaldSki resort, about 60 km awayNo snow this weekCrans-MontanaSki resort, about 70 km awayNo snow this weekEngelbergSki resort, about 70 km awayNo snow this weekAndermattSki resort, about 90 km awayNo snow this week

Nearest ski resorts to Bern

Sources: Bern on Wikidata, Elevation from the Open-Meteo terrain model at the city centre coordinates