Comparison
Kitzbühel vs Saalbach Hinterglemm: which has more reliable snow?
Kitzbühel or Saalbach Hinterglemm? 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
Both have been snow-sure at mid-mountain in 3 months of the year, but Saalbach Hinterglemm has had the edge more often. Month by month, Saalbach Hinterglemm has the edge in November, December, January and April.
Month by month
November: Kitzbühel 1 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 3 of 30 snow-sure winters (20% and 37% of days).
December: Kitzbühel 16 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 22 of 30 snow-sure winters (72% and 88% of days).
January: Kitzbühel 27 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 30 of 30 snow-sure winters (97% and 100% of days).
February: Kitzbühel 30 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 30 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
March: Kitzbühel 30 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 30 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
April: Kitzbühel 5 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 18 of 30 snow-sure winters (57% and 78% of days).
May: Kitzbühel 0 of 30, Saalbach Hinterglemm 0 of 30 snow-sure winters (1% and 10% 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
Kitzbühel and Saalbach Hinterglemm are 19 km apart as the crow flies. Kitzbühel first, then Saalbach Hinterglemm: Village 800 m against 1,003 m; Mid-mountain 1,400 m against 1,550 m; Summit 2,000 m against 2,096 m. Mapped downhill runs: Kitzbühel 186 km, Saalbach Hinterglemm 267 km (OpenStreetMap).
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 29% of days at Kitzbühel and 73% at Saalbach Hinterglemm.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Kitzbühel or Saalbach Hinterglemm?
Both have been snow-sure at mid-mountain in 3 months of the year, but Saalbach Hinterglemm has had the edge more often. Month by month, Saalbach Hinterglemm has the edge in November, December, January and April.
Which has better snow down to the village, Kitzbühel or Saalbach Hinterglemm?
In February, Saalbach Hinterglemm: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 73% of days, against 29%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.