Gstaad weather in December

December in Gstaad: cold, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 14 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Gstaad🇨🇭 Switzerland · Alps · Ski82
  1. 87Jan
  2. 79Feb
  3. 69Mar
  4. 53Apr
  5. 35May
  6. 14Jun
  7. 12Jul
  8. 16Aug
  9. 20Sep
  10. 31Oct
  11. 74Nov
  12. 82Dec

#2 of 12 months in Gstaad · #401 of 1413 destinations to visit in December · comfort 82/100 (tier A)

Days
4°C
Nights
-4°C
Wet days
14
Sun
5.1 h
Humidity
80%
Daylight
9 h
Gstaad, Switzerland
Photo: Abhishek Navlakha · Pexels

Traveller notes on Gstaad in December

The Gstaad forum's December warning is about altitude: the village sits at roughly 1,000m, snow is not guaranteed, and skiing before mid-to-late December depends on it being cold enough to make snow if nature has not delivered. More than 60 percent of the slopes are covered by snowmaking, which is what holds the December-to-March season together down low, and Glacier 3000 - open from November, about 20 minutes away - is the reliable early-December option. The crowd consequence is specific: with only half the runs open it can feel busy, so regulars start at the first cable car and are done by lunch. Snow usually arrives in the first half of the month and a white Christmas is normal. The record: 3.9C days, -3.8C nights, 79.7cm of snow, 14.1 precipitation days and 5.1 hours of sun.
ThousandMetresIsLow · December · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Gstaad

Gstaad-forum threads on an April visit describe the resort as genuinely low elevation and not ideal for skiing this late, posters naming this a real limitation compared with higher nearby areas. Regulars call Zweisimmen and Lenk genuinely still skiing this time of year, one April nineteenth trip report naming both active despite Gstaad's own limitations. Posters call Glacier 3000 above Les Diablerets the real reliable late-season option, several regulars naming this staying open into May regardless of lower-elevation conditions elsewhere. Regulars call checking which area is actually open genuinely essential, several threads naming this standard given how much elevation affects reliability this late. Posters recommend basing plans around Glacier 3000 or nearby valleys rather than Gstaad itself, several regulars calling this the honest way to plan. The record: 12.6C days, 1.4C nights, an extraordinarily high 126.8mm across nearly 15 days and 77 percent humidity.
GstaadAprilRegular · April · 1 month ago · Read more on tripadvisor.co.nz ↗
Gstaad-forum threads comparing May options call this destination a genuinely sensible choice this time of year, posters noting many comparable Alpine towns have more hotels closed for the shoulder season while Gstaad tends to stay more accessible. Regulars call the second half of May clearly better than the first, conditions and openings both considered more reliable later in the month. Posters call the lower altitude a real advantage, less mud underfoot than higher resorts and real flowers already budding in the fields by May. Regulars call the town neither fully peak nor fully dead this month, enough hotels and restaurants open to meet visitor needs without the crowds of summer. Posters recommend hiking as a solid May option regardless of exact dates, Gstaad's more polished, upscale character cited repeatedly as part of its appeal. The record: 15.3C days feeling like 15C, 4.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 201.7mm across nearly 21 days and 81 percent humidity.
GstaadMayRegular · May · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Gstaad-forum threads on an August visit with children describe the resort as offering real hiking and mountain activity alongside its cultural calendar, posters calling this genuinely a strong family month. Regulars call the classical music festival a real summer highlight, drawing visitors for the concerts alongside the usual activities. Posters describe a polo cup and a tennis tournament as both real August fixtures, adding genuine event energy on top of outdoor options. Regulars recommend checking the festival calendar before booking, accommodation capable of filling up around the bigger dates. Posters call the surrounding trails and lifts genuinely family-friendly, real options for easy walks and longer mountain days depending on the group. Regulars recommend real layers regardless of the pleasant warmth, alpine evenings turning noticeably cool. The record: 23.3C days feeling like 24C, 10.8C nights, an extraordinarily high 162.9mm across over 16 days and 79 percent humidity.
GstaadAugustRegular · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Gstaad-forum threads comparing early February against early March describe the resort's relatively low elevation, around a thousand meters, as a real factor either time of year, snow never entirely guaranteed the way it is at higher Alpine resorts. Posters call early March still generally workable, though regulars are direct that resorts above fifteen hundred meters like Zermatt or Verbier offer considerably more reliable cold and coverage this late. Regulars call artificial snow covering well over half the slopes a real backstop, keeping a functional season running December through March even on a lean year. Posters recommend the Glacier 3000 area on the Col du Pillon as a genuine fallback when the town is short on snow. Regulars call checking current conditions essential before a March trip here. Posters call the village charm worth a visit regardless of conditions. The record: 9.3C days feeling like 7C, -0.9C nights, a notably high 131.8mm across 15 days and 78 percent humidity.
GstaadMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Gstaad's card on the map.

Gstaad climate normals — December

Daytime high4°C / 39°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low-4°C / 25°F
Feels like (high)1°C / 34°F
Rainfall173 mm / 6.8 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days14 days
Humidity80%💦 very humid
Dew point-2°C / 28°F
Sunshine5.1 h/day
Daylight8.6 h
Wind8 km/h / 5 mph
Snowfall79.7 cm / 31.4 in
Air quality (US AQI)35🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Gstaad in December

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsChristmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Switzerland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Gstaad's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Best weatherGstaad's weather peaks December–February, best around January.

December includes New Year Music Festival.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Gstaad in December

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Opening

    Glacier 3000 autumn skiing

    1 Nov – 10 Dec · usuallySki season

    The glacier above the pass opens for skiing in early November, weeks before anything in the valley, and is the only snow within reach until December. Source ↗

  • Season

    Ski season

    10 Dec – 5 Apr · usually

    A wide, low, gentle area spread over several villages, which is why it is more about the walk back to the village than the vertical. Glacier 3000 above it holds snow far longer.

  • Holiday

    Christmas and New Year

    20 Dec – 6 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook early

    The fortnight the chalets are all occupied and the promenade is the point rather than the piste. Rates are at their year's high and the good tables are booked from the autumn. Source ↗

  • Festival

    New Year Music Festival

    26 Dec – 10 Jan · usuallyChristmas & New YearBook early

    Classical concerts across Gstaad, Rougemont, Saanen, Lauenen and Chateau-d'Oex from just after Christmas to just after New Year, timed for the people already in the chalets. Tickets move with the chalet bookings, not after them. Source ↗

  • Season

    Snow season

    Ski season

    About 80 cm of snow falls in the month.

    from the climate normals

What's on around the world in December →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Gstaad — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Gstaad?

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Gstaad in December — FAQ

Is December a good time to visit Gstaad?
December in Gstaad: cold, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 14 rainy days. It ranks #2 of 12 months for Gstaad on SeasonMap's comfort score (82/100).
What is the weather like in Gstaad in December?
In December, Gstaad averages a daily high of 3.9°C and a low of -3.8°C, with about 173.2 mm of rain over roughly 14.1 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Gstaad in December?
Gstaad has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 35 in December.
Does it snow in Gstaad in December?
Gstaad sees roughly 79.7 cm of snowfall in December.

Within 300 km: Bern's Munsterplatz bell-ringing on 31 Dec – 1 Jan, and Chamonix's Lifts open for winter around 5–22 Dec.