The most comfortable time to visit Zürich is from late May to mid September. For walking, go from April to mid June. Sunbathing weather is not what it offers.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
Zürich never quite rates Good for sun. It comes closest in mid August, at 44, mostly because it is too cool. Avoid late September to mid May for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in August, when the sky is typically 47% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
The being outside season here runs from late May to mid September. It peaks in mid July, at 77. The weakest stretch is from November to mid March, when it drops to 0, mostly because it is too cold.
For walking, go from April to mid June, with a second spell from September to October. It peaks in late September, at 82. Avoid mid January for this: it falls to 2, mostly because it is too cold.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Zürich over the whole year is 10°C. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 23°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 0°C. Zürich has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 18% in October, the driest month, to 27% in December, the wettest. Winds in Zürich are highest in January, averaging 2.3 m/s (8 km/h), and lightest in September, at 1.7 m/s (6 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W. The clearest skies in Zürich come in August, when the sky is typically 50% covered; December is the cloudiest month, at 78%.
Month by month Zürich climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2°C | 0°C | -2°C | 25% | 76% | 2.3 m/s | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| February | 5°C | 1°C | 1°C | 20% | 65% | 2.3 m/s | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| March | 8°C | 2°C | 4°C | 22% | 60% | 2.3 m/s | 3 | 0 | 35 |
| April | 12°C | 5°C | 9°C | 20% | 57% | 2.2 m/s | 23 | 0 | 61 |
| May | 16°C | 10°C | 13°C | 25% | 61% | 2.1 m/s | 43 | 3 | 74 |
| June | 21°C | 15°C | 20°C | 21% | 51% | 2.0 m/s | 72 | 24 | 59 |
| July | 23°C | 16°C | 22°C | 20% | 51% | 1.9 m/s | 74 | 32 | 51 |
| August | 22°C | 15°C | 22°C | 18% | 50% | 1.8 m/s | 67 | 37 | 47 |
| September | 18°C | 12°C | 17°C | 18% | 52% | 1.7 m/s | 63 | 12 | 71 |
| October | 13°C | 8°C | 11°C | 18% | 61% | 1.7 m/s | 29 | 0 | 74 |
| November | 6°C | 4°C | 3°C | 24% | 74% | 1.9 m/s | 1 | 0 | 27 |
| December | 3°C | 1°C | -0°C | 27% | 78% | 2.2 m/s | 0 | 0 | 8 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Zürich weather by season
Year round, Zürich has days of about 2°C at their warmest in January, its coolest month, and 23°C in July, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 0°C to 16°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 10°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around December and least likely around October. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Zürich weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Zürich has typical daily highs of about 3°C and lows of about 1°C, with a 24% chance of rain on a given day.
Zürich weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Zürich has typical daily highs of about 12°C and lows of about 6°C, with a 22% chance of rain on a given day.
Zürich weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Zürich has typical daily highs of about 22°C and lows of about 15°C, with a 20% chance of rain on a given day.
Zürich weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Zürich has typical daily highs of about 12°C and lows of about 8°C, with a 20% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Zürich?
Zürich has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 18% in October, the driest month, to 27% in December, the wettest.
What time of year is Zürich windiest?
Winds in Zürich are highest in January, averaging 2.3 m/s (8 km/h), and lightest in September, at 1.7 m/s (6 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W.
What is the average temperature in Zürich year round?
The average temperature in Zürich over the whole year is 10°C. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 23°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 0°C.
Where to go instead in early January, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.