The short answer
Go on a weekday, start early. No month guarantees good weather: check the forecast on the day.
Month by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walkers countedEryri, 2025, five paths | 11k | 10k | 20k | 39k | 45k | 34k | 41k | 57k | 23k | 17k | 9k | 9k |
| Rain daysCapel Curig, days with 1 mm or more | 20 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 20 |
| Windy summit days% with gusts of 35 mph or more | 43% | 57% | 45% | 29% | 21% | 26% | 20% | 32% | 35% | 43% | 42% | 50% |
| Very windy summit days% with gusts of 50 mph or more | 13% | 19% | 10% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 5% | 8% | 10% | 16% |
| Freezing summit days% with a low of 0°C or below | 91% | 84% | 88% | 73% | 29% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 4% | 21% | 60% | 74% |
| Summit daytime highaverage, °C | 0° | 1° | 3° | 6° | 9° | 11° | 12° | 12° | 10° | 7° | 3° | 2° |
| Daylighthours, average | 8.2 | 9.9 | 11.9 | 14.0 | 15.9 | 16.8 | 16.3 | 14.7 | 12.7 | 10.6 | 8.7 | 7.7 |
Walkers: Eryri 2025 counts on five paths (not the Llanberis Path). Rain days: Met Office 1991–2020, Capel Curig No 3, a valley station. Summit wind, frost, temperature and daylight: ERA5 via Open-Meteo, 1,085 m, 2016 to 2025, counted by us; modelled, not measured.
Seasons at a glance
- Spring12 to 16 hrs of daylight. Frost 88% of days in March, 29% in May
- Summer16.8 hrs of daylight in June. Busiest paths (August)
- AutumnQuieter, wetter: 21 rain days in November. Frost 60%
- WinterFrost on 91% of January days. Crampons and ice axe
Crowds by month
Winter conditions possible: late autumn into spring
Pen y Pass pre-booking: around Easter to 1 November
Walkers counted by month, 2025
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Wind and frost on the summit
Bottom: days with a summit low of 0°C or below (ERA5 via Open-Meteo, counted by us). Frost does not always mean ice on the paths.
Daylight and rain
Hours of daylight. Red: under 8 hours, less than a 6 to 7 hour path plus an hour's buffer.
Rain days (1 mm or more) at Capel Curig No 3, Met Office 1991–2020: 206 a year. June has the fewest.
Time of day
- Start earlyPont Bethania full by 7:30am (Eryri)
- Work back from sunsetPath time plus 1 hr. The planner does it
- Sunrise hike?Head torch. See the sunrise planner
Plan your day
This weekend7-day forecastSnowdon for beginnersWinter conditions
Stay safe
- Emergency: 999 or 112Police, then Mountain Rescue
- Text "register" to 999Before you go
- Skills, weather, gear?Ask the AdventureSmart questions
- Stay off the railway trackDogs on leads near livestock
- Turn back in timeThe summit will still be there
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to climb Snowdon?
For settled weather with fewer crowds, the numbers point to May, June, July, September: summit frost is rare, windy days are among the fewest, and fewer walkers were counted than in August. August is the busiest month. No month guarantees good weather.
When is Snowdon least busy?
December had the fewest walkers counted on five paths in Eryri's 2025 report, and weekdays are much quieter than Saturdays. Winter is quiet but often needs crampons and an ice axe.
Can you climb Snowdon in winter?
Only with winter skills and kit. Eryri says it is impossible to reach the summit in winter conditions without specialised equipment such as crampons or ice axes, and knowing how to use them.
What is the best time of day to start?
Early. Car parks fill early, and starting early leaves time to spare before sunset. The planner works out the latest safe start for your path from the live sunset time.
Which day of the week is quietest on Snowdon?
On Eryri's 2025 counts, Tuesday was the quietest and Saturday the busiest, with 31% of the week's walkers.
Sources
- Eryri: Visitor Monitoring Report 2025 (PDF)
- Met Office: Capel Curig No 3 climate averages, 1991–2020
- Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (ERA5 reanalysis), summit daily data 2016–2025
- Eryri: climbing Yr Wyddfa (winter equipment)
- Eryri: parking in Eryri (prices and payment)
Every figure on this page was checked against these sources on 20 October 2026.