Best time to visit Sweden for skiing

Introduction

Knowing when to visit Sweden for your next ski holiday is paramount to get the best experience of your life. Do you fancy a mid-winter experience with low temperatures, or would some skiing in the midnight sun get your attention? Learn more about the times of the year by reading further. 

December to January

Most ski systems, except the ones furthest north, aim at opening sometime in December. The exact date usually varies depending on the weather and the amount of snow. It is good to remember that this early in the season, the snowpack can often be relatively thin, and the temperatures often drop to around -20 to -30 degrees Celcius. The amount of daylight this time of the year is quite limited, even if you are in the southernmost ski systems. On the other hand, if you visit the area of Abisko, it will be dark around the clock up here.
If you visit during this time of the year, pick a destination that offers skiing and other things to experience. That way you have something to do if the skiing is too cold.

February to March

February and March is the time when skiing gets interesting with a thicker snowpack and more daylight. It is cold, and enough snow to ski off-piste, so you can expect to find cold snow and powder. The northernmost systems open up now as they are getting some light. You can still expect to have some winter storms with lots of wind.

April

April is the favorite ski month for most Swedes as we enter” the fifth season,” which is” spring-winter.” Now days are longer than the night, so plenty of sunshine welcomes the inhabitants compared to the darkness a few months ago. The cold nights and the warm days usually make the snowpack safer for off-piste skiing, and people can sit outside on a sofa to enjoy the warmth. It is not uncommon for people to go ski touring in their base layers. Plenty of water and an extra pair of sunglasses are recommended.

Most smaller ski resorts may struggle with having enough snow by mid-April, and the southern/middle ones usually close on the 30th. The northern ones tend to stay open a bit longer.

May

Spring is taking its toll on the snowpack. Long days combined with a much warmer temperature means that the melting goes quickly. In the southern systems, they generally do not have any snow left at all. Around Åre and north, there may be snow depending on the weather the last few weeks, but since most of the systems are closed, you are now bound for ski touring.

Summary

Whether you like the cold” mid-winter” experience around Christmas and New Year’s Eve or want to try skiing in the so-called fifth season, going to Sweden is a good choice. Just make sure you pick the correct destination for the right time. Early season the northern ones are closed and dark, while late season, the southern ones will be closed.