Garmisch-Partenkirchen through the ski season
At 1,380 m, January highs are near 1°C / 34°F, rising to 10°C / 50°F in April. April has about 17 wet days; January has about 24 stronger-gust days.
December already has about 19 freeze-thaw days near 975 m. Early winter can bring changing snow through the day, not just persistent cold.
Garmisch-Classic and the Zugspitze are separate ski areas at different elevations. These selected temperatures are not a forecast for both mountains; compare their current reports before deciding where to spend the day. Plan your Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski trip →
Compare the months
Typical temperatures are for 1,380 m. The colder-day high is for 1,801 m: roughly one day in ten stays below it. Gust days count modeled gusts of 40 km/h (25 mph) or more and are not adjusted for height.
Swipe the table sideways to see rain, snow and gust days.
What to expect
December mixes above-freezing afternoons with cold nights and frequent gusts.
What to wear
Keep warmth underneath an outer layer that closes securely. A mild start near the base isn't a reason to leave the midlayer behind.
Jacket and pants for December
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What to expect
January has the coldest nights and the highest gust count.
What to wear
Bring your warmer gloves and allow room for insulation. Close your cuffs before a lift ride rather than waiting until you're cold.
Jacket and pants for January
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What to expect
February is less frequently wet than January, though nights remain cold.
What to wear
Keep the cold-weather layer and adjust it during the day. Open vents during harder runs and keep your warm layer handy for the next lift.
Jacket and pants for February
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What to expect
March afternoons are distinctly milder, with freezing nights still common.
What to wear
Choose removable warmth for the morning. Open jacket and pants vents as the lower slopes warm up.
Jacket and pants for March
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What to expect
April is the mildest month and the one with most wet days.
What to wear
Pack light layers beneath waterproof shells. Keep a spare warm layer for a cold spell without treating every afternoon as midwinter.
Jacket and pants for April
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Quick answers
How cold is Garmisch-Partenkirchen during the ski season? January lows at 1,380 m are around -8°C / 18°F, despite typical highs near 1°C / 34°F. Pack for the cold part of that range as well as the afternoon.
What should you wear skiing in Garmisch-Partenkirchen? Use the monthly clothing advice, then adjust your layers for the current mountain forecast, your activity and how warm you run.
Do these ranges predict snow conditions? These figures combine rain and snow, so they cannot tell you how much fresh snow will be on the pistes. Check the lift operator's snow report and the mountain forecast before your trip.
About the data
The selected slope heights are 975 m, 1,380 m and 1,801 m. Two of the three heights share a 6.5 km weather-model cell. Precipitation and gust figures may therefore repeat.
These are historical estimates, not a trip forecast. A rain or snow day has at least 1 mm of precipitation. Temperatures are adjusted for slope height; precipitation and 10 m gusts are not. Each data cell is about 6.5 km wide, so conditions on an individual piste can differ.
Sources: Valmassoi et al. (2025), ICON-DREAM v1, DWD Climate Data Center (DOI; CC BY 4.0), downloaded September 9, 2026. Slope locations: OpenSkiMap and OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. See how the clothing guide works.