Those looking for an epic vacation experience in an area of unparalleled natural beauty couldn't choose a better spot on the map than Switzerland's incredible mountain-resort town of Gstaad. Visitors from all around the globe flock to Gstaad for its world-class skiing in the winter and its many incredible sporting events and unique festivals throughout the year. There's never a dull moment in Gstaad because you'll find something wonderful to see and do during every single month. However, it may help you with your vacation planning to understand a bit about what to expect from the area's climate and seasonal weather conditions.
About the Season of Winter
Gstaad boasts a long winter of skiing, snowboarding and other snowy weather activities that begin in October and run all the way through the early part of May. It's plenty cold, but you'll stay warm once you get active on the slopes, and there's good sunlight from around 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. January is by far the coldest month with an average daily temperature of around 24 to 26 degrees. Highs during this month rarely rise above 37 degrees and have been known to fall as low as 18 degrees. May is naturally the warmest month of the winter season as it segues into the summer months, and average highs are around 50 degrees. April tends to be the driest month with around 3.5 inches of precipitation over an 11-day period of time.
About the Season of Summer
The sweet season of summer in Gstaad runs from late June through late September, and there's plenty of time to enjoy the mild-to-warm temperatures with the sun shining from around 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The warmest month by far is July with an average daily temperature of 58 degrees to 60 degrees. During this month, you may expect highs of no more than 73 degrees and no lower than 48 degrees. Summer is prime time for hiking and mountain biking along the more than 200 miles of incredible trails, and this is also when many of the yearly fair-weather festivals and special events are held. September holds the coolest temperatures of the summer season with an average of 53 degrees, and August generally sees the most rain with nearly 6 inches over a period of some 13 days.
Historical Snowfall
Of course, snowfall is expected high in the mountains for the entire winter season, and this is just an example of what you may expect to find when you come for a skiing or snowboarding vacation. The month of November usually produces an average snow depth of 14 inches at the top of the ski area and 2 inches at the bottom, and that increases substantially in December to 38 inches at the top and 15 inches at the bottom. Snow depths jump again in January to over 60 inches at the top and over 25 inches at the bottom and continue upwards in February with some 93 inches at the top and 38 inches at the bottom. March snow depths have been recorded at more than 105 inches at the top and 37 inches at the bottom, and April boasts 115 inches at the top and 17 inches at the bottom.
