Ski resort in British Columbia, Canada
Fernie
A resort near the town of Fernie in southeastern British Columbia, known for its five alpine bowls along the Lizard Range.
Fernie snow forecast at 2,134 m (top lift)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Fernie 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.
Fernie snow forecast at 1,052 m (village)
Out of season.
Forecasts for Fernie 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 Fernie?
- Province
- British Columbia
- Country
- Canada
- Mountains
- Rocky Mountains, Canadian Rockies
- Village
- 1,052 m
- Top lift
- 2,134 m
- Vertical
- 1,082 m
- Lifts
- 10
- Season
- Early December to Mid-April
- Airports
- Canadian Rockies International (Cranbrook) (YXC), Calgary (YYC)
- Pass
- Epic Pass
- Website
- skifernie.com
About Fernie
Fernie Alpine Resort sits on the Lizard Range near the town of Fernie. It has 145 named runs, five alpine bowls and tree skiing, served by 10 lifts.
The resort is operated by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. Its season usually runs from early December to mid-April.
When does it snow in Fernie?
In Fernie, snow falls on about 14 days in December in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from October to May.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 days | 12 days | 12 days | 10 days | 4 days | 1 days | 0 days | <1 days | <1 days | 6 days | 12 days | 14 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall at mid-mountain, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Fernie 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 | 11 | 13% | −11 to −4 °C (12 to 25 °F) |
| February | 12 | 14% | −12 to −5 °C (10 to 23 °F) |
| March | 12 | 14% | −7 to 2 °C (19 to 36 °F) |
| April | 10 | 10% | −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F) |
| May | 4 | 4% | 1 to 13 °C (34 to 55 °F) |
| June | 1 | 2% | 6 to 18 °C (43 to 64 °F) |
| July | 0 | 0% | 10 to 23 °C (50 to 73 °F) |
| August | <1 | 0% | 10 to 23 °C (50 to 73 °F) |
| September | <1 | 1% | 5 to 17 °C (41 to 63 °F) |
| October | 6 | 8% | −2 to 7 °C (28 to 45 °F) |
| November | 12 | 14% | −6 to 0 °C (21 to 32 °F) |
| December | 14 | 19% | −11 to −5 °C (12 to 23 °F) |
Snow in Fernie in October
In October, Fernie gets snow on about 6 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 8% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −2 to 7 °C (28 to 45 °F).
Snow in Fernie in November
In November, Fernie gets snow on about 12 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 14% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −6 to 0 °C (21 to 32 °F).
Snow in Fernie in December
In December, Fernie gets snow on about 14 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 19% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −5 °C (12 to 23 °F).
Snow in Fernie in January
In January, Fernie gets snow on about 11 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −4 °C (12 to 25 °F).
Snow in Fernie in February
In February, Fernie gets snow on about 12 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 14% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −12 to −5 °C (10 to 23 °F).
Snow in Fernie in March
In March, Fernie gets snow on about 12 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 14% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 2 °C (19 to 36 °F).
Snow in Fernie in April
In April, Fernie gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 10% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F).
Snow in Fernie in May
In May, Fernie gets snow on about 4 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 4% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 1 to 13 °C (34 to 55 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Fernie?
Of the last ten winters in Fernie, 2021/22 was the snowiest, about 24% above the ten-year average at mid-mountain. The leanest was 2022/23, about 20% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 14 June 2022.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016/17 | 112% of average | |
| 2017/18 | 123% of average | |
| 2018/19 | 89% of average | |
| 2019/20 | 101% of average | |
| 2020/21 | 91% of average | |
| 2021/22 | 124% of average | |
| 2022/23 | 80% of average | |
| 2023/24 | 97% of average | |
| 2024/25 | 85% of average | |
| 2025/26 | 98% 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 Fernie
Does Fernie have snow at Christmas?
Fernie had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Christmas Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 20 to 26 December in every one of those years.
Does Fernie have snow at New Year?
Fernie had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on New Year's Day in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during 27 December to 2 January in 9 of those years.
Does Fernie have snow in mid-February?
Fernie 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 Fernie have snow at Easter?
Fernie had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on Easter Sunday in every one of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain. Fresh snow fell during Good Friday to Easter Monday in 9 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Fernie?
It snows on about 81 days a year in Fernie at mid-mountain, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. December has the most, about 14 days.
What is the snowiest month in Fernie?
December is the snowiest month in Fernie, bringing about 19% of the year's snowfall at mid-mountain, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Fernie?
Of the last ten winters in Fernie, 2021/22 was the snowiest, about 24% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2022/23, about 20% below average.
How cold does Fernie get in winter?
February is the coldest month in Fernie at mid-mountain, with average daily lows of −12 °C (10 °F) and highs of −5 °C (23 °F).
How high is Fernie?
The village or lowest lift at Fernie is at 1,052 m (3,500 ft) and the top lift is at 2,134 m (7,000 ft), a vertical drop of 1,082 m (3,600 ft).
When does the ski season start in Fernie?
The lifts at Fernie 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 Fernie
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Sources: Fernie Alpine Resort mountain stats, Fernie Alpine Resort getting here by air, Wikipedia