Alps
Germany
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Natural snow at mid-mountain (1,385 m) is reliably skiable from 16 Jan to 15 Mar. At the peak of the season the village at 720 m is unreliable (4% of days) and modelled snowfall at the summit averages 47 cm a fortnight.
How natural snow at Garmisch-Partenkirchen has changed
Days each winter (November to April) with 30 cm or more of natural snow, every winter since 1950. The lines are the averages for 1961/62 to 1990/91 and 1995/96 to 2024/25.
Village, 720 m
25 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Mid-mountain, 1,385 m
28 fewer days a winter with 30 cm or more than in 1961–1990.Modelled from ERA5 weather (Copernicus Climate Change Service), one consistent record for every winter. Checked against measured snow, this model got the direction of change right at 18 of 19 Swiss weather stations and 22 of 25 US snow stations, but overstated its size: a typical loss of 26 days against 17 measured in Switzerland, and 12 against 6 in the US. Read the changes as upper estimates. See the measurements · All 104 resorts since 1950
Month by month
October
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
November
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 14% of days.
December
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 63% of days, typically 42 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. The village is usually bare. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 114 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
January
Usually skiable. Mid-mountain had 30 cm or more on 88% of days, typically 74 cm deep. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. The village is usually bare. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 104 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
February
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,385 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 95% of days, with a typical depth of 92 cm. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. The village is usually bare. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 99 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
March
Snow-sure. Mid-mountain (1,385 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 90% of days, with a typical depth of 92 cm. In the worst of the thirty winters there was none. The village is usually bare. Modelled snowfall at the summit averages 120 cm in the month, before wind and settling.
April
Unreliable for natural snow. Mid-mountain reached 30 cm on 39% of days.
May to September
Natural snow at mid-mountain reached 30 cm on fewer than 5% of days.
Questions
When is the best time to ski Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
For natural snow, 16 Jan to 15 Mar. In that window mid-mountain (1,385 m) had 30 cm or more of natural snow on at least 90% of days across thirty winters. February is the most reliable month.
Is there snow at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in December?
In December, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 63% of days over thirty winters, typically 42 cm deep. One or more seasons had none at all.
Does the snow reach the village at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Almost never as natural snow. Even in February, the village at 720 m had 30 cm or more on fewer than 5% of days. Expect to ride a lift down at the end of the day.
How high is Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
The modelled village is at 720 m, mid-mountain at 1,385 m and the summit at 2,050 m. The ski area itself spans 727 m to 2,047 m.
How much does natural snow vary from winter to winter at Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Across the thirty winters modelled, mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of natural snow on between 6 and 167 days per season, with a typical winter around 125. Thirty winters show how much one season can differ from the next. For how snow has changed since 1950, see the long record below.
What is the nearest airport to Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Innsbruck (INN) is about 32 km away in a straight line. Memmingen Allgau (FMM) is 84 km away. Road distances are longer.