Comparison
Cortina d'Ampezzo vs Val Gardena: which has more reliable snow?
Cortina d'Ampezzo or Val Gardena? 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
Cortina d’Ampezzo has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 3 months of the year, against 0 at Val Gardena. Month by month, Cortina d’Ampezzo has the edge in December, January, February, March, April and May.
Month by month
November: Cortina d’Ampezzo 0 of 11, Val Gardena 0 of 11 snow-sure winters (14% and 6% of days).
December: Cortina d’Ampezzo 4 of 11, Val Gardena 2 of 11 snow-sure winters (50% and 32% of days).
January: Cortina d’Ampezzo 6 of 11, Val Gardena 4 of 11 snow-sure winters (65% and 45% of days).
February: Cortina d’Ampezzo 9 of 11, Val Gardena 7 of 11 snow-sure winters (89% and 78% of days).
March: Cortina d’Ampezzo 11 of 11, Val Gardena 8 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 86% of days).
April: Cortina d’Ampezzo 10 of 11, Val Gardena 1 of 11 snow-sure winters (92% and 50% of days).
May: Cortina d’Ampezzo 2 of 11, Val Gardena 0 of 11 snow-sure winters (54% and 5% 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
Cortina d’Ampezzo and Val Gardena are 29 km apart as the crow flies. Cortina d’Ampezzo first, then Val Gardena: Village 1,224 m against 1,236 m; Mid-mountain 2,078 m against 1,877 m; Summit 2,932 m against 2,518 m.
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 4% of days at Cortina d’Ampezzo and 0% at Val Gardena.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Cortina d’Ampezzo or Val Gardena?
Cortina d’Ampezzo has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 3 months of the year, against 0 at Val Gardena. Month by month, Cortina d’Ampezzo has the edge in December, January, February, March, April and May.
Which has better snow down to the village, Cortina d’Ampezzo or Val Gardena?
In February, Cortina d’Ampezzo: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 4% of days, against 0%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.