Comparison
Baqueira Beret vs Grandvalira: which has more reliable snow?
Baqueira Beret or Grandvalira? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from thirty winters of weather data.
The season at a glance
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 30 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Baqueira Beret has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 3 months of the year, against 2 at Grandvalira. Month by month, Baqueira Beret has the edge in December, January and March, and Grandvalira in April.
Month by month
November: Baqueira Beret 1 of 30, Grandvalira 2 of 30 snow-sure winters (23% and 21% of days).
December: Baqueira Beret 19 of 30, Grandvalira 15 of 30 snow-sure winters (82% and 63% of days).
January: Baqueira Beret 28 of 30, Grandvalira 22 of 30 snow-sure winters (96% and 88% of days).
February: Baqueira Beret 29 of 30, Grandvalira 28 of 30 snow-sure winters (99% and 94% of days).
March: Baqueira Beret 30 of 30, Grandvalira 26 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 94% of days).
April: Baqueira Beret 14 of 30, Grandvalira 17 of 30 snow-sure winters (77% and 79% of days).
May: Baqueira Beret 1 of 30, Grandvalira 0 of 30 snow-sure winters (14% and 12% of days).
A snow-sure winter is one where mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of that month’s days.
Height and terrain
Baqueira Beret and Grandvalira are 62 km apart as the crow flies. Baqueira Beret first, then Grandvalira: Village 1,500 m against 1,710 m; Mid-mountain 2,055 m against 2,175 m; Summit 2,610 m against 2,640 m. Mapped downhill runs: Baqueira Beret 154 km, Grandvalira 137 km (OpenStreetMap).
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 45% of days at Baqueira Beret and 46% at Grandvalira.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Baqueira Beret or Grandvalira?
Baqueira Beret has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 3 months of the year, against 2 at Grandvalira. Month by month, Baqueira Beret has the edge in December, January and March, and Grandvalira in April.
Which has better snow down to the village, Baqueira Beret or Grandvalira?
In February, Grandvalira: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 46% of days, against 45%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.