Winter
Dec → Feb5 to 9°
nights 0 to 1°
- 14 rainy days · 112 mm
- 5.4 h of sun
When is the best time to visit Switzerland?
- Jan5°fair
- Feb9°not recommended
- Mar11°not recommended
- Apr14°not recommended
- May18°fair
- Jun23°recommended
- Jul25°recommended
- Aug24°recommended
- Sep21°recommended
- Oct16°fair
- Nov9°fair
- Dec6°recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Switzerland, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5° | 0° | 5.1 h | 92 mm | 13 d | |
| February | 9° | 1° | 6.3 h | 84 mm | 13 d | |
| March | 11° | 2° | 7.9 h | 103 mm | 13 d | |
| April | 14° | 4° | 9.6 h | 130 mm | 13 d | |
| May | 18° | 9° | 9.6 h | 164 mm | 18 d | |
| June | 23° | 14° | 11.5 h | 160 mm | 16 d | ✓ |
| July | 25° | 16° | 11.9 h | 213 mm | 17 d | ✓ |
| August | 24° | 16° | 10.5 h | 157 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| September | 21° | 13° | 9.3 h | 126 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| October | 16° | 9° | 7.3 h | 125 mm | 13 d | |
| November | 9° | 4° | 5.4 h | 124 mm | 15 d | |
| December | 6° | 0° | 4.8 h | 161 mm | 17 d | ✓ |
The four seasons in Switzerland, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Lucerne) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May11 to 18°
nights 2 to 9°
- 15 rainy days · 132 mm
- 9 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug23 to 25°
nights 14 to 16°
- 16 rainy days · 177 mm
- 11.3 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov9 to 21°
nights 4 to 13°
- 14 rainy days · 125 mm
- 7.3 h of sun
Book early for June to September and December
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Switzerland, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h53 of daylight, in December 8h31, a difference of 7h21.
8h54Jan
10h13Feb
11h46Mar
13h32Apr
15h03May
15h53Jun
15h32Jul
14h13Aug
12h29Sep
10h46Oct
9h16Nov
8h31Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Lucerne" (47.05°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Switzerland, month by month
EventsBasel FasnachtFebruary to MarchMontreux Jazz FestivalJulyDésalpe (cattle descent)SeptemberFête de l'EscaladeDecemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Switzerland, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- February to MarchBasel Fasnacht big crowds
Basel wakes up in the dark at the Morgestraich, on the Monday after Ash Wednesday, and parades in masks for three days.
- JulyMontreux Jazz Festival
Two weeks of concerts on the shores of Lake Geneva in July, with ticketed venues and plenty of free stages along the quays.
- SeptemberDésalpe (cattle descent)
The herds come down from the alpine pastures, crowned with flowers, in Charmey, in the Gruyère region or in Appenzell.
- DecemberFête de l'Escalade
Geneva commemorates the failed Savoyard assault of 1602 with a costumed procession and chocolate cauldrons, in mid-December.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit Switzerland, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇭 Geneva | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇨🇭 Interlaken | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇨🇭 Lucerne | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇨🇭 Zermatt | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | ~ |
Month by month, in detail
January
Fair5°0° at night
- 92 mm · 13 d
- 5.1 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended9°1° at night
- 84 mm · 13 d
- 6.3 h
Busy, without the crush
March
Not recommended11°2° at night
- 103 mm · 13 d
- 7.9 h
Busy, without the crush
April
Not recommended14°4° at night
- 130 mm · 13 d
- 9.6 h
Low season, lower prices
May
Fair18°9° at night
- 164 mm · 18 d
- 9.6 h
Low season, lower prices
June
Recommended23°14° at night
- 160 mm · 16 d
- 11.5 h
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended25°16° at night
- 213 mm · 17 d
- 11.9 h
High season, book early
August
Recommended24°16° at night
- 157 mm · 14 d
- 10.5 h
High season, book early
September
Recommended21°13° at night
- 126 mm · 13 d
- 9.3 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Fair16°9° at night
- 125 mm · 13 d
- 7.3 h
Low season, lower prices
November
Fair9°4° at night
- 124 mm · 15 d
- 5.4 h
Low season, lower prices
December
Recommended6°0° at night
- 161 mm · 17 d
- 4.8 h
Busy, without the crush
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (92 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5.1 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 9 °C at best, 1 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (84 mm). Expect 6.3 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
March. Cool: 11 °C at best, 2 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (103 mm). Expect 7.9 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Cool: 14 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (130 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.6 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 164 mm over 18 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.6 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 160 mm over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.5 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 25 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. Frequent rain: 213 mm over 17 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.9 h a day on average. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 157 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.5 h a day on average. High season: book early.
September. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (126 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Cool: 16 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (125 mm). Expect 7.3 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 124 mm over 15 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.4 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 6 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. Frequent rain: 161 mm over 17 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.8 h a day). Busy season, without the crush.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Switzerland?
June to September and December: over these months, recorded highs range from 6 to 25 °C, with 15 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Lucerne).
Which month should you avoid in Switzerland?
April: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 130 mm over 13 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Lucerne).
What is the hottest month in Switzerland?
July, with 25 °C on average in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Lucerne).
What is the coldest month in Switzerland?
January, with 5 °C at best during the day and 0 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Lucerne).
What is the driest month in Switzerland?
February: 84 mm over 13 days of rain, against 213 mm in July, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Switzerland?
July, with 11.9 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Switzerland guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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