Ski resort in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Bansko
A Bulgarian resort in the Pirin mountains, where a gondola from the town climbs to ski slopes below Todorka peak.
Bansko snow forecast at 2,600 m (top lift)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Bansko pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The lifts usually run from early December to mid-April. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Bansko snow forecast at 925 m (village)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Bansko pause outside the snow season and start again in October. The lifts usually run from early December to mid-April. The snow record below shows when it usually snows here.
Where is Bansko?
- Province
- Blagoevgrad
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Mountains
- Pirin
- Village
- 925 m
- Top lift
- 2,600 m
- Vertical
- 1,675 m
- Lifts
- 15
- Season
- Early December to Mid-April
- Airports
- Sofia (SOF)
- Website
- www.banskoski.com
About Bansko
Bansko is a town at the foot of the Pirin mountains. A gondola, built in 2003, runs from the town to the Banderishka Polyana base area, and the ski area on Todorka has a lift-served summit of 2,600 m.
Bansko has hosted FIS Alpine Ski World Cup races, for women in 2009 and 2012 and for men in 2011 and 2012.
When does it snow in Bansko?
In Bansko, snow falls on about 10 days in March in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from November to April.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days | 7 days | 10 days | 7 days | <1 days | <1 days | 0 days | 0 days | 0 days | 1 days | 4 days | 8 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall at mid-mountain, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Bansko month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 | 22% | −7 to 0 °C (19 to 32 °F) |
| February | 7 | 13% | −6 to 2 °C (21 to 36 °F) |
| March | 10 | 18% | −4 to 3 °C (25 to 37 °F) |
| April | 7 | 11% | −1 to 8 °C (30 to 46 °F) |
| May | <1 | 2% | 4 to 12 °C (39 to 54 °F) |
| June | <1 | 0% | 9 to 17 °C (48 to 63 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 11 to 20 °C (52 to 68 °F) |
| August | 0 | 0% | 11 to 20 °C (52 to 68 °F) |
| September | 0 | 0% | 7 to 16 °C (45 to 61 °F) |
| October | 1 | 3% | 3 to 11 °C (37 to 52 °F) |
| November | 4 | 10% | 0 to 7 °C (32 to 45 °F) |
| December | 8 | 20% | −5 to 2 °C (23 to 36 °F) |
Snow in Bansko in November
In November, Bansko gets snow on about 4 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 10% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 0 to 7 °C (32 to 45 °F).
Snow in Bansko in December
In December, Bansko gets snow on about 8 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 20% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −5 to 2 °C (23 to 36 °F).
Snow in Bansko in January
In January, Bansko gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 22% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 0 °C (19 to 32 °F).
Snow in Bansko in February
In February, Bansko gets snow on about 7 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −6 to 2 °C (21 to 36 °F).
Snow in Bansko in March
In March, Bansko gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 18% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −4 to 3 °C (25 to 37 °F).
Snow in Bansko in April
In April, Bansko gets snow on about 7 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 11% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −1 to 8 °C (30 to 46 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Bansko?
Of the last ten winters in Bansko, 2021/22 was the snowiest, about 31% above the ten-year average at mid-mountain. The leanest was 2016/17, about 41% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 11 December 2021.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 59% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 128% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 81% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 106% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 124% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 131% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 100% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 77% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 81% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 114% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Bansko
Does Bansko have snow at Christmas?
Bansko had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in 7 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in 6 of those years.
Does Bansko have snow at New Year?
Bansko had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 5 of those years.
Does Bansko have snow in mid-February?
Bansko had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 15 February in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 10 to 20 February in 9 of those years.
Does Bansko have snow at Easter?
Bansko had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in 3 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 6 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Bansko?
It snows on about 48 days a year in Bansko at mid-mountain, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. March has the most, about 10 days.
What is the snowiest month in Bansko?
January is the snowiest month in Bansko, bringing about 22% of the year's snowfall at mid-mountain, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025. March has the most snowy days, about 10.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Bansko?
Of the last ten winters in Bansko, 2021/22 was the snowiest, about 31% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2016/17, about 41% below average.
How cold does Bansko get in winter?
January is the coldest month in Bansko at mid-mountain, with average daily lows of −7 °C (19 °F) and highs of 0 °C (32 °F).
How high is Bansko?
The village or lowest lift at Bansko is at 925 m (3,000 ft) and the top lift is at 2,600 m (8,500 ft), a vertical drop of 1,675 m (5,500 ft).
When does the ski season start in Bansko?
The lifts at Bansko usually open in early December and close in mid-April. Exact dates change each year with the snow, so check the resort's own website before you book.
Snow forecasts near Bansko
Sources: Banskoski lifts and ski slopes, Wikipedia (Bansko), Wikipedia (Todorka), Skiresort.info (Bansko)