What's the weather like in Verbier?

What's the weather like in Verbier?

Verbier is known internationally as one of Switzerland’s top ski resorts, and indeed one of the leading backcountry ski resorts anywhere in the world.


This small, characterful Alpine town occupies a stunning location on a tranquil grassy plateau, situated high in the mountains on the eastern slopes of the picturesque Val de Bagnes valley. Nestled on a gently sloping terrace at roughly 1500m (5000ft) above sea level, Verbier is often referred to as the gateway to the iconic 4 Vallées ski area. With its classic Alpine roofscape of slate-topped chalet clusters, it’s widely considered among the stand-out jewels decorating the famous Swiss canton of Valais.


Located very close to the borders of both Italy and France, Verbier is a reliably popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts of all abilities. Meanwhile, a welcoming cool-temperate climate provides ideal conditions year-round for a wide range of other outdoor activities.

Verbier, Switzerland weather: a guide for all seasons

Landscape

The varied terrain in and around Verbier covers some 400 square kilometers in total, based on a central plateau of gently sculpted hills and plains. The area is also dotted with several large, tranquil Alpine lakes. While the nearby mountain peaks understandably grab the attention, the wider countryside areas close to Verbier feature almost 50% open grasslands, a third of which enjoy perennial tree cover.


With regards to the surrounding Swiss Alps themselves, the resort boasts near-permanent snow cover across the majority of its many significant peaks, including both managed slopes and adrenaline-pumping off-piste runs. Skiing conditions in Verbier are almost always favourable during peak winter sports seasons.


Non-skiers might prefer to explore the gorgeous countryside surrounding the village itself, where a richly varied array of other outdoor pursuits is always on hand. Of particular note are the many impressive walking, cycling and golfing opportunities on offer, with more than 400km of nature trails and some 200km of mountain bike piste available to explore year-round.

Sunshine

From May to August, the sun rises early in Verbier, typically around 5.30-6am. These are the sunniest times of year to visit Switzerland, with daylight savings time (DST) observed from late March through to late October.


The area benefits from its lightest cloud cover between mid-June and mid-September, too; skies generally remain about 60% clear and bright during these months. Sunset times vary by season, but even in the depths of December you can expect around 8.5 hours of good light each day.

Temperature

Verbier enjoys fairly wide seasonal variety in temperatures over the course of a year. Depending on exactly when you choose to visit, summer highs can reach 25°C (77°F), while in winter the mercury sometimes drops as low as -12°C (7°F). These sorts of figures are the occasional monthly extremes, though, and standard seasonal averages more typically range from about 18°C (64F) down to -8°C (15F).


The warmest months for Verbier/Switzerland weather are always June, July and August, with temperatures peaking towards the end of July. From November to March is the chilliest time to visit, when average daily highs don’t often rise far above 1-2°C (34°F). In all, Verbier’s year-round seasonal temperatures are not entirely dissimilar to those found at similar elevation in more temperate regions of Colorado and Alaska.


Due to our high altitude and crisp, clear air, humidity in Verbier remains very low at all times, regardless of season. In fact, in any given month we’re unlikely to experience any days at all where the dew point index rises to levels that might be considered muggy or oppressive. August, one of our warmest months, is in fact one of our rainiest too (April often tends to be driest overall). Even so, the mild temperatures and lofty elevation mean Verbier never feels humid, even during summer showers.

Snowfall

While Verbier does experience some rainfall during the warmer months of the year, it’s more common for snow to be the sole form of precipitation between November and March. Towards late December, for example, there’s a roughly 1-in-4 chance of seeing snowfall on any given day.


December is the overall snowiest time of the year in Verbier, but in fact our potential snowy period here lasts almost 8 months, stretching from early October to late May. We very rarely experience any significant snowfall during the summer months, particularly through June, July and August, although year-round snow cover persists on the many higher altitude peaks and runs.

Alpine flowering season

Like much of the Northern hemisphere, Switzerland appears most verdant during seasons when the average daily temperature reliably stays above freezing. For Verbier and the Valais region as a whole, this usually means any time between mid-May and late September.


Our earliest Alpine spring blooms typically begin to speckle the hillsides and lower slopes from the beginning of June. The surrounding grassy plains are rich with a diverse and lively ecosystem of flowers, shrubs and blossoming trees throughout much of June, July, August and September.

What’s the best time of year to visit Verbier?

As you might have guessed, the ideal season to stay in Verbier depends entirely on what sorts of activities you’ll most enjoy taking part in while you’re here.


On the whole, tourism indexes for activities that favour clear, rainless days with mild or comfortably warm temperatures would steer you towards May, June, July, August and September visits. However, since so much of Verbier’s glowing reputation is based around its peerless winter sports scene, there are just as many excellent reasons to plan a stay during the colder months too.


In short, Verbier is truly a resort for all seasons - and moreover, we’ve got the year-round weather data to prove it!


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