Weather in Switzerland

The trick about weather in Switzerland has a lot to do with your altitude. Are you talking about hiking the Alps? Or visiting somewhere like Lac Leman (which is low elevation and mild climate).

No I wouldn't spend the extra money to travel only at those times, but would go early October or early May (instead of dead of winter January/February is my point!).

Hi annalynn -

Personally, I would never travel to Switzerland June-August, because the popular spots (such as Berner Oberland, Zermatt, etc) can get incredibly crowded and I hate crowds.

We spent two full weeks in the Alps of Switzerland this past April and had fantastic weather - only one bad weather day the entire time. Of course, one never knows what the weather will do, and perhaps we were just lucky, but I've visited in May several times and would happily go back then as well. We're hikers, so we were up there in the Alps tromping about in the snow - it was fantastic.

Just keep in mind that May and October are the shoulder seasons, and you could very well run into some closures in the mountain villages, as some hotels and restaurants close between seasons and cable cars and gondolas shut down for maintenance at slow times. However, the later in May you go, or the earlier in October, the better your chances of openings and decent weather. You'll also find that Switzerland is much less expensive in the shoulder season - at least as far as accommodation goes - you can get some good deals outside of ski season, Easter and summer season.

Personally, I'd not hestitate an instant in going in either May or October. It's hard to saw which would be better weather-wise. Perhaps the deciding factor should be more about whether or not the places and excursions that interest you most will be up and running.

If you want to get a feel for what Switzerland is like in the in April, take a look at my trip report here on Fodor's. Just click on my name and look at "April in the Alps" under my trip reports.

Don't sweat it - just GO. You'll be glad you did.

Thanks, suze and Melnq8 - I appreciate the advice. I don't like the summer crowds, either, but one book I was looking at at seemed to indicate I was doomed to a disastrous trip if it wasn't June-August. I'm going back to my May plan, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for weather as glorious as yours, Melnq8. Great trip report, BTW!

Hi annalynn -
We've been to Switzerland 6 times now - most of those have been in May, early and late. Sometimes it's cool, sometimes it's warm. This past May I checked the forecast every day until we left. It predicted rain almost every day. It only rained one day. So my advice is just go in May - wear layers and have a great time! Switzerland is absolutely beautiful and you will love it.

I've been 5 times now - once in November (for my birthday) and the other four in either June, July, or August. Every trip was fabulous.

My advice: second half of October

I'm amazed at all the people who have said they've had great weather in May. I live here. We have OK weather in May.

Every year, my kids have off from school during the first two weeks of May. The weather has been cloudy and rainy the last 5 years during that time.

End of October: If the weather is good, you'll get the mountains at their finest. Fall colours, sharp views of everything and less crowds.

There is no guarantee of weather in Switzerland. None. It could easily snow, rain, hail or be hot during your trip.

The first time I went to Switzerland it was in early-mid-October and I was in various parts of the country to include the Berner Oberland, Valais, the northeast, the southeast, and Zurich.

The weather was wonderful IMO. I've also visited in November and had clear days and certainly not bone-chilling cold. The weather "down below" was cloudy and damp; when I got to Zermatt it was clear so go figure.

I think Schuler's advice is the best.

Hi,

We went in mid October... Appenzell, St. Moritz, Wengen, Zermatt and Luzern. We loved it and would go again at the time of year without hesitation. We experienced little crowds (if at all), enough hotels, restaurants, etc. open where we didn't feel limited and the weather we had was perfect. I do remember in particular in Wengen that each day from the late afternoon on we felt that we practically had the village to ourselves. We would take a walk in the evening as we watched stunning sunsets and such beautiful silence broken only by distant cowbells ringing. It was magical.

Paul

I live in Switzerland as well and add my vote to those already cast for second half of October, especially if you'd like to visit some of the vineyard towns. And also especially you're not planning to do any mountain hikes where there weather can be unpredictable.

Some areas have lovely fall foliage (not New England colors, but still pretty)--the rural areas around Basel and the Jura, for example.

And one minor note: if your day tripping takes you near Zug and it's a nice day, stop there at sunset. Swiss friends swear that Zug is known for having some of the finest sunset views in Switzerland. I was at lake Zug in early June and the sunsets were pretty darn fine!

Of the shoulder times I'd agree with October for you can still have some unsettled weather in May/June.

First time I went to Switzerland though I was there for about six months, earlier February right through to August and I loved the whole time, might have been a good year for I could count on one hand the only really inclement times based in Zurich.

Some of my fondest memories included a train journey over to Rapperswil I think it is at far end of Zurich See and the countryside covered in a blanket of snow and then from Zurich itself I got myself up to the range behind Zurich and walking a rural kind of trail through forest you kind of had that Dr Zhivago feeling.

I can recall one morning in Zurich when it was zeroC or 32F but no wind and sun out was warm enough for me to have shorts and tee shirt on [and I was not long out of an Aussie summer] and yet locals had their great coats on scarves wrapped around their necks etc., probably steering clear of me with thoughts of he's another druggo!

So in my mind, ikt's a country you can enjoy just about anytime.

This week has taken the term "unsettled weather" to new heights (or depths).
Tuesday night, we had a thunderstorm that lasted nearly six hours. It parked itself right over Basel around 10 pm and was still flashing and booming at 4 am. And another storm last night around 3 am. It's been raining off and on all day and the week-end looks to be the same.
Could be worse. Parts of the Ticino may get up to 4 inches of rain between now and Sunday.

Hi Passerine,

I'm biting my fingernails right now. My kids are at Pfadi (scout) camp in Davos and sleeping in tents next to a mountain creek. The weather today has been nice, cold, windy, rainy, stormy all with lightning and thunder today. Tomorrow should be the same. It's going to be a terrible night tonight for them and I'm glad they'll be coming home tomorrow after two weeks.

I'll be so relieved to see them. I don't care if everything will be wet and dirty; I just want my kids back safe and sound.

My husband left today for Scuol to go on a 6-day bike tour leading them through OfenPass, Livigno, Schanf, Bernina Pass, Tirano, Como See, Biasca, Gotthard Pass and back. Looks like they'll postpone their bike tour a day and sit it out in Sent.

I hate these kind of summer storms. They're freaky, crazy and scary.

We've been using this website to monitor the storm. You can barely make out Switzerland's borders and lakes but once you've found yourself on the map, you'll see what the weather front will be coming in. It's very reliable:

http://www.metradar.ch/de/loop_aktuell.php

Schuler and others:

Thank you all for the weather encouragement, especially for later October. We've been in autumn-time to other Swiss areas but not in the B.O. where we'll be at that time. Without the summer crowds, I'll be very happy. The best reason we have for never, that's never, traveling in summer (except once to northern Norway)

stu

I WAS THERE IN THE END OF APRIL IT WAS PERECT STILL A LITTLE COOL BUT GREAT WEATHER. I HAVE BEEN THERE IN SEPT TOO AND IT IS RAINY BUT WARM I VOTE FOR THE SPRING THERE IS STILL SKING AT MT TITILIS THEN

Hi Schuler, not the best time to be camping or biking! I hope you're kids made it through safe and sound.
Thanks for the radar link. We tend to use this one
http://www.meteoschweiz.admin.ch/web/fr/meteo/temps_actuel/image_radar.html

Weather likes this gives me no excuse for not staying in and cleaning the apartment

Hi Passerine,

It snowed in the mountains! My kids might be in snow. I'll find out about their cold, soggy adventure today as I meet them at the train station.

My husband has decided to stay put in Sent for another day. I've got a lovely, attractive, single 40isch female cousin there whose sons would put the Jonas brothers to shame. Let me tell you, I'm praying for sunshine.

Yes, I saw on the forecast yesterday that it would likely be snow above the 1600 to 2000 meter level.

Yesterday I was watching the Swiss webcams on SF1 while having my morning coffee and saw fresh snowfall at several places.

I was in Switzerland at the end of May, 2009. I had packed a jacket and never needed it, it was so hot, 34 degrees in Chur and not much cooler elsewhere.

The only thing I'd like to add it that daylight will be longer in May than October.

Remember alot of ski lifts/gondolas etc are serviced in the off season, when I was there in May not everything was open. Not sure how things work in October, maybe some of the Swiss fodorites would know.

If I can piggyback here a little bit -- so I'm gathering that the weather in late May is iffy but not horrible?

I am planning to visit Switzerland next year and our choice is between the last two weeks of May or the first two weeks of August.

We visited Greece in late May of last year and it was perfect, fab weather and not too crowded. I hate the idea of going to Switzerland at the most crowded time of year so I am leaning towards May, but the "not everything was open" comment worries me. What kinds of things might be closed? Will it be chilly or freezing cold? We don't mind chilly but cold and rainy would be the pits.

cheryllj -

I'd pick May over August in a heartbeat, as August can be horribly crowded, particularly in the Berner Oberland. Most of the closures we ran into were actually in late April and all of November, the lowest of the low season, when cable cars shut down for a week or so for maintenance etc. Many hotels and restaurants in alpine villages close after Easter until late May or early June, but we've always managed to find a place to stay and we've never gone hungry. There's usually at least one hotel that remains open year round, and I really doubt late May will be a major disadvantage in that regard. The later in May you go, the better your chances for openings.

You can determine the opening times of most cable cars, hotels, etc, by checking their respective sites, so just do a little homework and you'll be able to plan from there. The tourist offices are also very good at responding to e-mail, and they're a great resource for determing what will be open for your specific dates.

Weather would be the least of my concerns. We've had some great weather in May. The biggest drawback might be the hiking, as there's often snow and/or mud on the walking tracks at higher elevations - this is is minor inconvenience IMO and wouldn't deter me in the least.

Personally, I think the benefits of traveling in the quiet season far outweigh the inconvenience.

Thanks,s Melnq8 - May sounds much better to me too.

We were just in Switzerland (but not BO) in late June. Not crowded at all, in fact many of the stores and restaurants in Saas Fee outside Zermatt weren't even open yet.

Two years ago we went the end of September through early October. It wasn't crowded and we had pretty good weather, although we did wake up to snow in Guarda.