Where is the best snow in May?
For fresh snow in May, the record points to Sölden, where it snows on about 13 days that month at mid-mountain, followed by Cervinia and Ischgl. The coldest of the 19 resorts that are usually open, and so the most likely to keep its snow dry, is Cervinia.
Ski resorts ranked by snowy days in May
19 resorts whose lifts usually run in May and that average at least 4 snowy days. Mid-mountain, 2016 to 2025.
| Rank | Place | Snowy days in May | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sölden | 13 | 12% | −2 to 5 °C (28 to 41 °F) |
| 2 | Cervinia | 12 | 12% | −5 to 1 °C (23 to 34 °F) |
| 3 | Ischgl | 11 | 10% | −2 to 8 °C (28 to 46 °F) |
| 4 | Zermatt | 11 | 12% | −5 to 2 °C (23 to 36 °F) |
| 5 | Tignes | 11 | 10% | −3 to 3 °C (27 to 37 °F) |
| 6 | Val d'Isère | 11 | 10% | −3 to 3 °C (27 to 37 °F) |
| 7 | Breckenridge | 10 | 13% | −4 to 7 °C (25 to 45 °F) |
| 8 | Chamonix | 10 | 8% | −3 to 4 °C (27 to 39 °F) |
| 9 | Livigno | 10 | 11% | −3 to 6 °C (27 to 43 °F) |
| 10 | Val Thorens | 9 | 9% | −5 to 3 °C (23 to 37 °F) |
| 11 | Zell am See-Kaprun | 8 | 9% | 0 to 8 °C (32 to 46 °F) |
| 12 | Les Deux Alpes | 8 | 7% | −4 to 5 °C (25 to 41 °F) |
| 13 | Obertauern | 8 | 9% | −1 to 8 °C (30 to 46 °F) |
| 14 | Snowbird | 8 | 7% | −1 to 8 °C (30 to 46 °F) |
| 15 | Bad Gastein | 7 | 7% | 0 to 10 °C (32 to 50 °F) |
| 16 | Sunshine Village | 7 | 10% | −1 to 8 °C (30 to 46 °F) |
| 17 | Cortina d'Ampezzo | 7 | 8% | 0 to 9 °C (32 to 48 °F) |
| 18 | Lake Louise | 7 | 9% | −2 to 8 °C (28 to 46 °F) |
| 19 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen | 4 | 5% | 1 to 11 °C (34 to 52 °F) |
Other months
Where to ski in JanuaryWhere to ski in FebruaryWhere to ski in MarchWhere to ski in AprilWhere to ski in JuneWhere to ski in JulyWhere to ski in AugustWhere to ski in SeptemberWhere to ski in OctoberWhere to ski in NovemberWhere to ski in December
Reading this table
Snowy days are days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, so they tell you how likely you are to see fresh snow during a week's stay. The share column shows how much of the resort's yearly snowfall arrives in May: a high share early in the season means the base is still building. Temperatures are the average daily low and high at mid-mountain, and long spells above freezing mean heavier, wetter snow. All figures are averages over 2016 to 2025 from ERA5 reanalysis, so a single year can look very different. We do not show snowfall in centimetres because the record underestimates it in the mountains. Resorts are included when their usual season covers May, but check this season's dates before you book.