snowingplaces

Ski resort in Piedmont, Italy

Sestriere

A purpose-built resort in Piedmont at the centre of the Vialattea ski area, which crosses into France.

Sestriere snow forecast at 2,789 m (top lift)

Out of season.

Forecasts for Sestriere 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 Sestriere?

Region
Piedmont
Country
Italy
Mountains
Alps, Cottian Alps
Village
2,035 m
Top lift
2,789 m
Vertical
754 m
Season
Early December to Mid-April
Airports
Turin (TRN)

About Sestriere

Sestriere lies at 2,035 m and was built as a ski resort in the 1930s by Giovanni Agnelli. It hosted the men’s alpine skiing events of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

The resort is part of the Vialattea, which links eight resorts including Sauze d’Oulx, Claviere and Montgenèvre in France, with 400 km of slopes. There is no railway to Sestriere; the nearest station is at Oulx.

When does it snow in Sestriere?

In Sestriere, snow falls on about 10 days in December in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from October to May.

Average days per month with at least 1 cm of snowfall in Sestriere at mid-mountain, 2016–2025
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
10 days7 days9 days8 days7 days<1 days<1 days<1 days<1 days3 days10 days10 days

Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall at mid-mountain, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.

Snow in Sestriere month by month

Averages for 2016 to 2025 at mid-mountain, from ERA5 reanalysis data.

Average snow days, share of annual snowfall and temperature by month in Sestriere, 2016 to 2025
MonthSnow daysShare of the year's snowLow to high
January1013%−13 to −5 °C (9 to 23 °F)
February711%−11 to −3 °C (12 to 27 °F)
March915%−11 to −1 °C (12 to 30 °F)
April812%−7 to 2 °C (19 to 36 °F)
May710%−3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F)
June<10%3 to 14 °C (37 to 57 °F)
July<10%5 to 17 °C (41 to 63 °F)
August<10%5 to 17 °C (41 to 63 °F)
September<11%1 to 12 °C (34 to 54 °F)
October35%−2 to 8 °C (28 to 46 °F)
November1016%−8 to 0 °C (18 to 32 °F)
December1016%−12 to −4 °C (10 to 25 °F)

Snow in Sestriere in October

In October, Sestriere gets snow on about 3 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 5% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −2 to 8 °C (28 to 46 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in November

In November, Sestriere gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 16% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −8 to 0 °C (18 to 32 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in December

In December, Sestriere gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 16% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −12 to −4 °C (10 to 25 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in January

In January, Sestriere gets snow on about 10 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −13 to −5 °C (9 to 23 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in February

In February, Sestriere 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 −11 to −3 °C (12 to 27 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in March

In March, Sestriere gets snow on about 9 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 15% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −11 to −1 °C (12 to 30 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in April

In April, Sestriere gets snow on about 8 days at mid-mountain, and the month brings about 12% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from −7 to 2 °C (19 to 36 °F).

Snow in Sestriere in May

In May, Sestriere gets snow on about 7 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).

Which winters were snowiest in Sestriere?

Of the last ten winters in Sestriere, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 46% above the ten-year average at mid-mountain. The leanest was 2021/22, about 40% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 8 January 2018.

Snowfall in Sestriere for each of the last ten winters, as a percentage of the ten-year average
WinterCompared with average
2016/1797% of average
2017/18146% of average
2018/1989% of average
2019/20120% of average
2020/2180% of average
2021/2260% of average
2022/2393% of average
2023/24145% of average
2024/2589% of average
2025/2682% 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 Sestriere

Does Sestriere have snow at Christmas?

Sestriere 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 8 of those years.

Does Sestriere have snow at New Year?

Sestriere 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 6 of those years.

Does Sestriere have snow in mid-February?

Sestriere 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 Sestriere have snow at Easter?

Sestriere 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 4 of those years.

How many days a year does it snow in Sestriere?

It snows on about 65 days a year in Sestriere at mid-mountain, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. December has the most, about 10 days.

What is the snowiest month in Sestriere?

November is the snowiest month in Sestriere, bringing about 16% of the year's snowfall at mid-mountain, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025. December has the most snowy days, about 10.

Which recent winter was the snowiest in Sestriere?

Of the last ten winters in Sestriere, 2017/18 was the snowiest, about 46% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2021/22, about 40% below average.

How cold does Sestriere get in winter?

January is the coldest month in Sestriere at mid-mountain, with average daily lows of −13 °C (9 °F) and highs of −5 °C (23 °F).

How high is Sestriere?

The village or lowest lift at Sestriere is at 2,035 m (6,700 ft) and the top lift is at 2,789 m (9,200 ft), a vertical drop of 754 m (2,500 ft).

When does the ski season start in Sestriere?

The lifts at Sestriere 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 Sestriere

Map of ski resorts and cities within 150 km of SestriereSerre Chevalier, about 20 km away, out of season; Val Thorens, about 50 km away, no snow this week; Méribel, about 60 km away, out of season; Courchevel, about 60 km away, out of season; Val d'Isère, about 60 km away, no snow this week; Tignes, about 60 km away, no snow this week; Les Deux Alpes, about 60 km away, no snow this week; La Plagne, about 60 km away, no snow this week; Turin, about 60 km away, out of season; Alpe d'Huez, about 60 km away, out of season; Les Arcs, about 70 km away, out of season; Courmayeur, about 90 km away, no snow this week; Grenoble, about 90 km away, out of season; Chambéry, about 100 km away, out of season; Megève, about 100 km away, out of season; Chamonix, about 110 km away, out of season; Annecy, about 120 km away, out of season; Cervinia, about 120 km away, no snow this week; Verbier, about 130 km away, no snow this week; Zermatt, about 140 km away, no snow this week; Avoriaz, about 140 km away, out of season.50 km100 km150 kmNSerre Chevalier: Out of seasonVal Thorens: No snow this weekMéribel: Out of seasonCourchevel: Out of seasonVal d'Isère: No snow this weekTignes: No snow this weekLes Deux Alpes: No snow this weekLa Plagne: No snow this weekTurin: Out of seasonAlpe d'Huez: Out of seasonLes Arcs: Out of seasonCourmayeur: No snow this weekGrenoble: Out of seasonChambéry: Out of seasonMegève: Out of seasonChamonix: Out of seasonAnnecy: Out of seasonCervinia: No snow this weekVerbier: No snow this weekZermatt: No snow this weekAvoriaz: Out of seasonSerre ChevalierVal ThorensMéribelCourchevelVal d'IsèreLes Deux AlpesTurinLes ArcsCourmayeurChambéryMegèveChamonixAnnecyCerviniaVerbierAvoriazSestriere
Blue dots expect snow in the next 7 days. Distances are straight lines, not driving distances.
Serre ChevalierSki resort, about 20 km awayOut of seasonVal ThorensSki resort, about 50 km awayNo snow this weekMéribelSki resort, about 60 km awayOut of seasonCourchevelSki resort, about 60 km awayOut of season

Sources: Sestriere tourism, Skiresort.com, Wikipedia