Comparison
Chamonix vs Verbier: which has more reliable snow?
Chamonix or Verbier? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from eleven winters of weather data.
Month by month
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 11 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Chamonix has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 6 months of the year, against 5 at Verbier.
Month by month
November: Chamonix 2 of 11, Verbier 2 of 11 snow-sure winters (45% and 39% of days).
December: Chamonix 9 of 11, Verbier 8 of 11 snow-sure winters (95% and 86% of days).
January: Chamonix 11 of 11, Verbier 10 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 93% of days).
February: Chamonix 11 of 11, Verbier 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
March: Chamonix 11 of 11, Verbier 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
April: Chamonix 11 of 11, Verbier 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
May: Chamonix 11 of 11, Verbier 10 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 96% 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
Chamonix and Verbier are 34 km apart as the crow flies. Chamonix first, then Verbier: Village 1,035 m against 1,500 m; Mid-mountain 2,438 m against 2,415 m; Summit 3,842 m against 3,330 m.
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 10% of days at Chamonix and 81% at Verbier.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Chamonix or Verbier?
Chamonix has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 6 months of the year, against 5 at Verbier.
Which has better snow down to the village, Chamonix or Verbier?
In February, Verbier: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 81% of days, against 10%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.