Climate guide for Matterhorn, Switzerland

Best Time to Visit
Matterhorn

How to read the score (0–10)
05810
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About Matterhorn

June-August opens Matterhorn hiking and Gornergrat panoramas under Alpine summer light. Start trails early for clearer summits; cable cars and village museums cover afternoon storms.

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Travel Tips

Timing & weather
Check Matterhorn's monthly climate scores before locking flights - temperate patterns shift comfort for nature trips across the year.
Getting around
Bring broken-in footwear, a rain layer, and offline maps for Matterhorn. Check trail, road, and weather conditions before setting out, because outdoor access can change quickly.
Tickets & access
Book timed entry for Matterhorn when offered - peak hours sell out and same-day queues can erase half a day.
Pack for the profile
Bring broken-in footwear, a rain layer, and offline maps for Matterhorn. Check trail, road, and weather conditions before setting out, because outdoor access can change quickly.

Things to do in Matterhorn

Matterhorn, Switzerland. Live activities and tours from GetYourGuide, matched to this destination.

When to visit Matterhorn: the short answer

The best time to visit Matterhorn is July, followed by August, June. Those months combine the most usable temperatures with the fewest lost days to rain: July averages 12°C with 72 mm of rain and about 31 sunny days. The months to avoid unless you have a specific reason are December, November. If budget matters more than perfect weather, October is the strongest of the low-rate months at 4.4/10.

Across the year Matterhorn swings from -9°C in January to 12°C in July, a 21-degree spread, while rainfall ranges from 40 mm in February to 122 mm in May. That is the whole planning problem in one sentence: Matterhorn is not equally good year-round, and the difference between the best and worst month here is 7.1 points on a 10-point scale.

Warmest month: July (12°C). Coolest: January (-9°C). Driest: February (40 mm). Wettest: May (122 mm).

Matterhorn month by month

January in Matterhorn — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2.9/10

January averages -9°C (17°F) — deep-winter cold that dictates the whole trip: short outdoor stints, indoor plans on standby, and no expectation of long walking days.

Rainfall runs 49 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 0 sunny days and 8.8 hours of daylight.

It scores 2.9/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 6.2 points higher on the same scale.

February in Matterhorn — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 3.5/10

February averages -7°C (20°F) — deep-winter cold that dictates the whole trip: short outdoor stints, indoor plans on standby, and no expectation of long walking days.

Expect 40 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 3 sunny days and 10.1 daylight hours.

It scores 3.5/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 5.6 points higher on the same scale.

March in Matterhorn — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 3.6/10

March averages -5°C (24°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.

Rainfall runs 90 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 8 sunny days and 11.6 hours of daylight.

It scores 3.6/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 5.5 points higher on the same scale.

April in Matterhorn — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 5.7/10

April averages -1°C (30°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.

Rainfall runs 71 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 15 sunny days and 13.3 hours of daylight.

It scores 5.7/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 3.4 points higher on the same scale.

May in Matterhorn — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 6.6/10

May averages 5°C (41°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

At 122 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 19 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.

It scores 6.6/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 2.5 points higher on the same scale.

June in Matterhorn — reliably good (3rd best month)

Good · 7.9/10

June averages 9°C (49°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

At 119 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 25 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.

It scores 7.9/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

July in Matterhorn — the year's strongest window

Best window · 9.1/10

July averages 12°C (54°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 72 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 31 sunny days and 15.2 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Matterhorn at 9.1/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

August in Matterhorn — the year's strongest window

Best window · 8.8/10

August averages 12°C (53°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 89 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 26 sunny days and 14 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Matterhorn at 8.8/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

September in Matterhorn — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 6.3/10

September averages 7°C (44°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

At 115 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 13 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.

It scores 6.3/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 2.8 points higher on the same scale.

October in Matterhorn — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 4.4/10

October averages 5°C (40°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

At 116 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 3 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.

It scores 4.4/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 4.7 points higher on the same scale.

November in Matterhorn — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2.5/10

November averages -3°C (26°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.

Rainfall runs 100 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 0 sunny days and 9.2 hours of daylight.

It scores 2.5/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 6.6 points higher on the same scale.

December in Matterhorn — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2/10

December averages -7°C (20°F) — deep-winter cold that dictates the whole trip: short outdoor stints, indoor plans on standby, and no expectation of long walking days.

At 107 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 0 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.

It scores 2/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 9.1/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella, footwear you can get muddy.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Matterhorn — 7.1 points higher on the same scale.

Frequently asked

When is the best time to visit Matterhorn, Switzerland?
In Ideal Weather mode, the best months to visit Matterhorn are July, August. July is the single peak month with an Ideal Weather score of 9.1/10 based on temperature, rainfall, humidity, daylight and historical sunny days.
What is the weather like in Matterhorn year-round?
Matterhorn has a climate profile suited to nature and wildlife travel. Average monthly temperatures range from -9°C in January to 12°C in July, with Ideal Weather scores between 2.0 and 9.1 out of 10.
Which months should I avoid in Matterhorn?
The lowest Ideal Weather-scoring months in Matterhorn are December (2.0/10), November (2.5/10), January (2.9/10). These months typically combine less comfortable temperatures, higher rainfall or fewer sunny days.
When is the rainy season in Matterhorn?
May is the wettest month in Matterhorn, averaging about 122 mm of rainfall. February is the driest, at roughly 40 mm.
Which is the sunniest month in Matterhorn?
July sees the most sun in Matterhorn, with about 31 sunny days on average - ideal for outdoor plans.
Is Matterhorn a good destination for nature and wildlife travel?
Matterhorn is well suited to nature and wildlife travel. Its highest Ideal Weather window (July, August) aligns with the conditions travelers usually look for in this style of trip.
How is the bestime.to score for Matterhorn calculated?
Each month receives an Ideal Weather score from 0-10 using ERA5 climate normals for Matterhorn: temperature comfort, precipitation, humidity, daylight hours, and historical sunny days - weighted for nature and wildlife travel.

Explore by month

Curated in Matterhorn

Tickets & experiences