Where is the best snow in October?
For fresh snow in October, the record points to Cervinia, where it snows on about 9 days that month at mid-mountain, followed by Portillo and Sölden. The coldest of the 8 resorts that are usually open, and so the most likely to keep its snow dry, is Levi.
Ski resorts ranked by snowy days in October
8 resorts whose lifts usually run in October and that average at least 4 snowy days. Mid-mountain, 2016 to 2025.
| Rank | Place | Snowy days in October | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cervinia | 9 | 11% | −5 to 2 °C (23 to 36 °F) |
| 2 | Portillo | 8 | 9% | −3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F) |
| 3 | Sölden | 8 | 9% | −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F) |
| 4 | Zell am See-Kaprun | 7 | 7% | 1 to 8 °C (34 to 46 °F) |
| 5 | Cardrona | 6 | 16% | −4 to 4 °C (25 to 39 °F) |
| 6 | Mt Hutt | 5 | 13% | −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F) |
| 7 | Valle Nevado | 5 | 6% | −4 to 2 °C (25 to 36 °F) |
| 8 | Levi | 5 | 11% | −3 to 2 °C (27 to 36 °F) |
Other months
Where to ski in JanuaryWhere to ski in FebruaryWhere to ski in MarchWhere to ski in AprilWhere to ski in MayWhere to ski in JuneWhere to ski in JulyWhere to ski in AugustWhere to ski in SeptemberWhere to ski in NovemberWhere to ski in December
Reading this table
Snowy days are days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, so they tell you how likely you are to see fresh snow during a week's stay. The share column shows how much of the resort's yearly snowfall arrives in October: a high share early in the season means the base is still building. Temperatures are the average daily low and high at mid-mountain, and long spells above freezing mean heavier, wetter snow. All figures are averages over 2016 to 2025 from ERA5 reanalysis, so a single year can look very different. We do not show snowfall in centimetres because the record underestimates it in the mountains. Resorts are included when their usual season covers October, but check this season's dates before you book.