- Sunshine hrs/yr
- 1,705
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: weather-atlas.com, climatestotravel.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Best time to visit: mid-May through mid-September for warmest, sunniest weather; May and June offer pleasant temps with fewer crowds than peak summer.
- Winter is cold and gray (November–March); snowfall is significant, especially January and December; pack layers and prepare for rapid weather changes.
- Summer is wet season (highest rainfall May–August); bring an umbrella even during the best months.
- Lake Zurich water temperature peaks around 19°C (66°F) in July; too cold for comfortable swimming most of the year.
- Zurich is slightly warmer than other Swiss cities due to its southern position on the lake; still prepare for large day–night temperature swings.
- December is the darkest month with only ~1.6 hours of daylight per day; summer daylight extends to 15+ hours in June.
- Occasional extreme cold spells in winter can drop temperatures to -15°C (5°F) or lower.
Snowfall
- Annual Mm
- 850
- Snow Months
- January through April, October through December
- Annual Inches
- 33.5
- Note
- Significant winter snowfall; occasional cold spells can drop temperatures to -15°C (5°F) or below
Heaviest Months
December
- Mm
- 191
- Inches
- 7.52
January
- Mm
- 184
- Inches
- 7.24
Best Months
May
- Period
- late spring
- Note
- Beginning of peak season; comfortable temperatures and increasing daylight; some rain
June
- Period
- early summer
- Note
- Optimal weather with warm temperatures and long daylight hours; wettest month of the year
Warmest month; maximum sunshine hours; significant rainfall
- Month
- July
- Period
- summer
August
- Period
- summer
- Note
- Peak tourist season; warm and comfortable; continued high rainfall
September
- Period
- early autumn
- Note
- Pleasant temperatures approaching summer; moderate rainfall; fewer crowds than peak summer
Worst Months
January
- Period
- winter
- Note
- Coldest month; heavy snowfall; minimal daylight; gray and humid conditions
February
- Period
- winter
- Note
- Cold and gray; persistent winter conditions; driest month but still cold
December
- Period
- winter
- Note
- Heavy snowfall; shortest daylight hours; cold and dark; minimal sunshine
November
- Period
- late autumn
- Note
- Transition to winter; temperatures drop; damp and gray; high humidity
Humidity
- Lowest Percent
- 67
- Highest Percent
- 85
- Annual Average Percent
- 77
- Lowest Month
- April
- Highest Month
- November
- Note
- High humidity year-round; consistently humid conditions in winter months
Rainfall
- Annual Mm
- 1350
- Peak Month
- June
- Driest Month
- February
- Annual Inches
- 53
- Peak Month Mm
- 140
- Driest Month Mm
- 90
- Peak Month Inches
- 5.5
- Driest Month Inches
- 3.5
- Note
- Relatively balanced rainfall year-round with minor variation; summer is wettest season
Sunshine
- Annual Hours
- 1705
- Darkest Month
- December
- Brightest Month
- July
- Darkest Month Hours Per Day
- 1.6
- Brightest Month Hours Per Day
- 9
- Note
- Dramatic seasonal variation; summer offers 15–16 hours of daylight; winter around 9 hours
Peak Season Temperature
- Low Celsius
- 14
- High Celsius
- 24
- Low Fahrenheit
- 57
- High Fahrenheit
- 75
- Note
- July peak; June–August range from 21.6–24°C (71–75°F) highs and 11.9–14°C (53–57°F) lows
Off Peak Season Temperature
- Low Celsius
- -2
- High Celsius
- 3
- Low Fahrenheit
- 28
- High Fahrenheit
- 37
- Note
- January lows; winter months (December–February) range from 2.9–3.7°C (39°F) highs and -2 to -0.7°C (31°F) lows
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this climate & weather research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Zurich
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.