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Zermatt sat at 11 degrees at half six this morning and climbs to nearly 27 by afternoon. Chamonix runs the same pattern, 16 to 28. That is a 16-degree swing on a dry, cloudless day. Pack for both ends: a light base layer you can hike in at dawn, and enough water for an afternoon that feels like July. From Saturday the peaks drop back to around 22 degrees, so this heat is a short window.
Read moreChamonix and Zermatt sit under dry high pressure into the weekend: no rain in the three-day forecast, and Friday reaches 29 degrees in the Chamonix valley. The catch is the morning. Zermatt read 7 degrees at half six against a daytime high of 23. That is a 15-degree swing before lunch, so the light insulated layer you resent carrying at noon is the one you want on a seven o'clock start. Source: Open-Meteo, 3 September.
Read moreA stable high sits over the western Alps for the next three days. In Zermatt that means near 6°C at dawn and 23°C by afternoon, a 17-degree swing before lunch. Chamonix climbs even warmer, up to 27°C on Friday. No rain in the forecast. Start cold, finish hot: a merino base layer plus a light windproof shell covers both ends, without the bulky midlayer you would carry unused all afternoon.
Read moreHigh pressure sits over the western Alps for the next three days. In Zermatt the morning starts near 6°C at 1,600 metres, then Chamonix climbs past 23°C by afternoon. That is a 17-degree swing before lunch. No rain in the forecast. A merino base layer under a packable windproof handles the dawn chill without the bulk you would carry unused once the sun is up.
Read moreThe first cold nights of the season are back in the Alps. A thunderstorm front clears Chamonix today; behind it the air turns dry and sharp. Days still reach 21 degrees, but valley temperatures in Zermatt drop to 7 by tomorrow morning, and it sits near freezing above 3,000 metres. Pack the warm layer. An alpine start in a summer setup gets cold fast.
Read moreA stable high sits over the western Alps this week. In Chamonix, mornings start near 11°C and afternoons climb past 23°C, with dry skies forecast for the next three days. That is a swing of more than ten degrees. Begin in a light insulating layer, then strip back to merino as the sun gets to work. Zermatt runs cooler, around 9°C at dawn. Pack a windproof shell for the ridgelines and both ends of the day are covered.
Read moreClear skies over the Valais this week, and the numbers tell the shoulder-season story. Mornings in Zermatt sit near 7 degrees, afternoons climb to 20. That is a 13-degree swing between the first hour and the warmest one. Pack a merino base layer and a windproof shell: you start cold and finish warm without a bulky midlayer riding along all afternoon. The gap only widens from here.
Read moreHigh summer is loosening its grip on the western Alps. Chamonix touches 28 degrees this afternoon, then tomorrow's high falls to 19. That is a nine-degree drop overnight. Valley mornings already sit near 13 degrees, and it stays colder the higher you climb. A light windproof shell over a merino base covers both ends of the day, without the weight of a midlayer you would carry unused past noon.
Read moreLate-summer heat is on its way out. Chamonix hits 29°C today, then a front rolls in on Friday with roughly 15mm of rain. By Saturday the valley tops out near 18°C, and at Zermatt's altitude the overnight low drops to about 7°C. The freezing level falls with it. Pack a warm layer even for a fair-weather summit, and check the forecast again before committing to a high route.
Read moreThe Alps get one more warm day before the weekend breaks. Chamonix peaks near 29 degrees on Thursday, then Friday's front drops highs back to 21 and brings roughly 14mm of rain. Higher up the swing is sharper. Zermatt at 1,600 metres falls from 24 to 17 degrees in a single day. Pack the shell now. A bright Thursday morning tells you nothing about Friday's ridgeline.
Read moreChamonix takes nearly 19mm of rain today before the front clears. From Wednesday it turns dry and warm, with valley highs climbing toward 30 degrees by midweek. Higher up at Zermatt it stays cooler, around 19 degrees. Pack for both. A packable waterproof covers this morning; a light merino base layer carries you through the warm afternoons that follow.
Read moreThe first autumn signal is already showing at altitude. Zermatt sat at nine degrees this morning at 1,600 metres, yet the afternoon still climbs past twenty. That is a twelve-degree swing before lunch. A merino base layer plus a packable wind shell covers both ends, without the bulky midlayer you would carry unused all day. Start cold, warm up moving.
Read moreHigh summer is loosening its grip on the Alps. At 1,600 metres around Zermatt, mornings start near 8°C, while the valleys push past 24°C by mid-afternoon. That is a swing worth dressing for. A merino base layer under a light windproof handles both ends, without the bulk of a midlayer you carry unused all day. One thing to plan around: a front rolls in on the 25th, with 7 to 8 mm of rain forecast for Chamonix and Zermatt. Go early in the window.
Read moreA dry window opens over the western Alps on Sunday. Chamonix and Zermatt both stay rain-free before showers return on Monday. The catch is the swing. Mornings sit near 8 to 9 degrees, afternoons climb past 20, roughly a 15-degree spread in one day. Start colder than feels comfortable, then shed layers as the valley warms. A merino base under a light shell handles both ends.
Read moreChamonix takes the brunt today, with around 32 millimetres of rain before the front clears. Then it settles. Two dry days climbing towards 22 degrees. The catch is the nights: Zermatt drops to 6 degrees after dark, a wide swing from the afternoon warmth. Pack for both ends. A merino base layer covers the cold dawn without weighing down the midday climb.
Read moreA sharp cool-down is moving through the western Alps this week. Chamonix falls from 22°C today to 17°C by Friday, with nearly 60 millimetres of rain arriving first. Zermatt's overnight lows slide towards 5°C in the valley, colder still higher up. The freezing level is dropping fast. Above 3,000 metres, expect the first fresh snow on the summits, so pack a warm layer and check the forecast before any glacier crossing.
Read moreChamonix touches 29 degrees today under near-clear skies. Then the weather breaks. Tomorrow the high drops to 21 with almost 30mm of rain, the day after to 16 and still wet. Zermatt runs the same line, from 24 down to 17 in a single day. Heading up high? Today is the window. Pack a proper shell, because the swing lands fast.
Read moreHigh summer still holds across the western Alps today. Chamonix reaches 24°C, Zermatt around 22°C, both under thin cloud. Make the most of it. By the third day the pattern breaks: Chamonix drops to 19°C with roughly 11 mm of rain, Zermatt to 17°C. Plan the long ridge for the next two days and keep a hardshell in the top of the rucksack for the turn.
Read moreA soggy start to the week clears fast. Chamonix takes nearly 40 millimetres of rain today, then dries out completely on Tuesday and Wednesday. Highs climb from 21 to 26 degrees across those three days, with Zermatt a touch cooler at altitude. Wait it out. The midweek window is the one to plan for: dry trails, firmer ground underfoot and afternoon warmth, without the storm risk hanging over the valleys today.
Read moreChamonix reaches 28 degrees today, then falls to 19 by tomorrow. Eight degrees in a day. Heavy rain moves through the valley first, and higher up around Zermatt afternoons settle near 17 degrees. The warm spell is closing for now. If you are heading into the Western Alps over the next few days, pack a proper hardshell, not just a windproof layer.
Read moreChamonix reaches 28°C today under near-clear skies. Rain moves in on Sunday, and by Monday the high drops to 21. Zermatt cools harder still, from 23°C down to 16 across the same three days. Take the exposed ridges now. Anyone heading up midweek wants a shell and a warm layer packed, not just the kit that feels right this afternoon.
Read moreChamonix and Zermatt both sit dry and warm today, near 28°C down in the valley. That window is short. A wet front moves in over the weekend, with around 6 mm of rain forecast for Saturday and closer to 9 mm on Sunday. If you have one big walk planned this week, take it today. For Saturday and Sunday, a packable waterproof earns its place in the rucksack.
Read moreZermatt at 1,600 metres sits near 26°C this afternoon, and Chamonix runs warmer still down in the valley. Make the most of it. From Thursday a change moves through: highs in Zermatt slide towards 19°C by Friday, with roughly 3mm of rain. Mornings at altitude already start near 14°C. If you are up for two or three days, pack the shell you would otherwise leave behind.
Read moreWarm, calm mornings this week give way to building afternoons in the high Alps. Chamonix reaches 28 degrees today, then 18 millimetres of rain arrive on Thursday; Zermatt holds clear until Friday. That is the textbook August rhythm: storms gather fast over the massifs from around two o'clock, and above the tree line there is nowhere to shelter. Be over your highest pass by early afternoon. Start early.
Read moreChamonix climbs past 26°C this week under clear skies. Tromso sits near 10°C at the same moment, with drizzle and a 23 km/h wind off the fjord. Same continent, same week. If your summer trek heads to Arctic Norway rather than the Alps, pack for autumn: a waterproof shell, a warm midlayer, gloves you would leave at home in Chamonix. The rain holds — Wednesday drops over 20mm on Tromso.
Read moreHigh summer has the Alpine valleys baking. Chamonix climbs towards 28°C by afternoon this week, and that heat sits on you through the first few hundred metres of any climb. Start at first light. Drink before you feel thirsty, and refill at every fountain you pass. By the time the valley peaks, you want to be on the ridge, not still grinding up the switchbacks. Carry more water than feels sensible.
Read moreThe Western Alps are running hot. Chamonix sits near 28 degrees in the valley today and tomorrow, and even Zermatt at 1,600 metres climbs into the mid-twenties. Then it breaks. Tuesday brings rain and a drop of five to six degrees across both. Start your climbs early while the heat holds, and pack a light shell for the back half of the week.
Read moreHigh pressure settles over the Western Alps for the next three days. Chamonix and Zermatt both stay dry, with valley highs near 26 degrees and barely any cloud. That is a rare rain-free window for a longer traverse. Start early. By midday the exposed sections bake, and under a clear sky the UV at 2,000 metres bites harder than the thermometer suggests. Carry more water than a cooler day would ask for.
Read moreValley temperatures around Chamonix reach 26°C this week, and even at Zermatt's 1,600 metres the nights barely drop below 14°C. That is warm for altitude. On south-facing trails the sun does the work long before noon, so start early and carry more water than a spring hike would need. A litre every two hours is a sensible floor in this heat. Save the exposed ridgelines for the cooler morning air.
Read moreThe Chamonix valley takes around 26 millimetres of rain today before the sky clears. Wednesday and Thursday then stay dry, with highs near 24 degrees. The window is the afternoon. Sit out the wet morning, head up once it breaks, and pack a proper waterproof shell over a packable emergency layer. One valley east, Zermatt stays dry throughout at a calm 24 degrees.
Read moreChamonix sits under a clear sky this morning, yet the valley is climbing towards 30 degrees. That heat has a cost. By early afternoon the moisture lifts and thunderstorms build over the ridges; today's forecast already shows rain stacking up, with more of it tomorrow. Summit early, be off the exposed sections by one o'clock, and carry a shell even when the morning looks flawless.
Read moreAugust in the high Pyrenees is not the Mediterranean people pack for. At 2,000 metres the highs barely reach 12 degrees, mornings drop to 4, and mid-week brings around 8 millimetres of rain on gusty showers. Bring a proper shell and a warm layer. A sun hat alone won't cut it up here. The wind is the real tell, not the number on the thermometer.
Read moreValleys around Chamonix and Zermatt push past 26 degrees this weekend, and the first afternoon showers return on Sunday. Classic August pattern. Warm, still mornings give way to building cloud by early afternoon, so start at dawn and aim to be off exposed ridges by two. At 1,600 metres it is still only 13 degrees at first light, which makes a light shell worth carrying even when breakfast looks settled.
Read moreIn the Alps this week the pattern is fixed: bright mornings, wet afternoons. Zermatt sat under an open sky at 15°C at 1,600 metres this morning, yet its daily rain total climbs from under 2mm today to over 3mm tomorrow, almost all of it after midday. Chamonix reads the same, clear until noon and clouding over by three. Start at dawn. A summit reached by eleven beats a thunderstorm at three, and the walk down stays drier for it.
Read moreChamonix reaches 31°C in the valley today under clear skies. Make the most of it. A front pushes through tomorrow: highs drop to around 26°C with 4 to 5mm of rain across the western Alps, and Zermatt cools to roughly 21°C by Saturday. If you are heading up, take the dry morning and pack a shell for the turn. The heat won't last.
Read moreThe Tour du Mont Blanc is essentially clear now. As of early July only isolated snow lingers: the gullies between Champex and Trient, a short crossing near Le Brévent, the approach to the Col du Bonhomme. Valleys sit at 15 to 25 degrees, the high passes near five. That is a twenty-degree swing in one ascent. Carry a windproof softshell you can pull on without dropping the pack, and leave the microspikes at home unless old snow makes you uneasy.
Read moreAlpine thunderstorms are back on their summer schedule. On hot days they build through the afternoon and often fire between 14:00 and 16:00. Lightning on an exposed ridge is no joke. Start by seven, aim to be off the high ground by midday. If the sky stacks up while you are still on a pass, descend straight away rather than waiting it out. The reward comes at dusk, when the storms clear and the peaks glow.
Read moreHigh pressure has settled over the Western Alps. Chamonix and Zermatt both show three dry days ahead, with valley highs climbing from 22 to 28°C by Wednesday. That warmth is the catch. Afternoon heat softens the snow on the high routes and saps your legs on the way out. Start before dawn, top out by midday, and you keep firm ground under your boots and cool air in your lungs. A head torch earns its place in the pack.
Read moreChamonix takes more than 20mm of rain today at 14 degrees, then dries out completely. By Tuesday the valley climbs past 28 degrees. That is a swing of over ten degrees in two days. Zermatt follows the same pattern, a touch cooler up high. The trails stay greasy. Pack a light waterproof shell for the wet morning and grippy soles for the mud that lingers once the sun returns.
Read moreHigh summer settles the Alps for days, then breaks the pattern in two hours. The rule on Swiss and French routes: cross any pass above 2,000 metres before noon, and be back at hut level by early afternoon. Thunderstorms build fast up there. The standard Tour du Mont Blanc is snow-free now, but higher variants still hold patches near the Col du Bonhomme. Start early. Check the sky, and turn back if it darkens.
Read moreThe freezing level across the Alps is sitting above 4,000 metres. On glacier routes that means no overnight refreeze, and snow bridges that soften by mid-morning. Start before dawn. Zermatt still holds the most open terrain, but the high ground is shrinking week on week. Lower down, the Tour du Mont Blanc is largely snow-free, with only patchy gullies lingering near the Col du Bonhomme. Carry more water than the map suggests.
Read moreAcross the western Alps the pattern is set. Mornings sit near 14°C, afternoons climb past 20°C, and storms build between two and five. Snow has mostly gone above 2,500 metres, so the trails run dry. The catch is the clock. Start at six, be off the exposed ridges by early afternoon, and a packable hardshell settles the question when the sky turns.
Read moreHigh pressure has settled over the western Alps: three dry days from Chamonix to Zermatt, clear skies, valley highs near 25 degrees. But clear nights bleed the heat straight back out. Zermatt drops to 10 degrees in the valley, and above 2,500 metres you will set off below freezing. That is the catch of a settled spell. Warm afternoon, brutal alpine start. A wind shell over a merino base covers both ends without the midlayer you carry unused by noon.
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