Salzburg, nestled at the northern edge of the Alps, features a continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and pleasant, ideal for outdoor activities, while winters are cold and snowy, creating a magical alpine atmosphere. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, and the city enjoys moderate sunshine, making it a year-round destination for travellers.
The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.
Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.
Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.
Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.
Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.
Salzburg’s climate is classified as warm summer continental (Dfb), marked by significant seasonal variation and abundant precipitation. Summers (June–August) are mild to warm, with daytime highs averaging 21–25°C and nights cooling to 12–14°C. July is typically the warmest month, with average highs of 23°C and up to 223 hours of sunshine. While summer brings the most rainfall – June is the wettest month with around 158–214 mm – showers are often brief, and thunderstorms can occur in the afternoons. Sunshine is most abundant in summer, with up to 11 hours per day, and daylight can last nearly 16 hours at the solstice.
Winters (December–February) are cold, with average highs of 2–4°C and lows dropping to -4 to -6°C. Snow is common, especially in January and February, with the city receiving around 100–120 cm of snow annually. Winter days are short, with just 8–9 hours of daylight and only 2–3 hours of sunshine per day. The city’s proximity to the Alps means cold spells can be intense, with occasional lows below -10°C, while fog and overcast skies are frequent. Spring and autumn are transitional, with spring (March–May) bringing temperatures from 4°C to 18°C and autumn (September–November) cooling from 20°C to 3°C. Both seasons feature moderate rainfall, colourful foliage or blooming gardens, and variable weather conditions. Winds are generally light, but can be brisk during storms or in exposed alpine areas.
Salzburg receives about 1,170–1,800 mm of precipitation annually, spread fairly evenly across the year, though summer is the rainiest. The city enjoys 1,700–1,800 hours of sunshine per year. The climate supports lush landscapes, vibrant seasonal festivals, and a range of outdoor activities from hiking and cycling in summer to skiing and Christmas markets in winter.
| Average climate data for Salzburg, Austria | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average maximum temperature (°C) | 3 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 24 |
| Average minimum temperature (°C) | -4 | -3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 1 | -2 | -4 |
| Average precipitation (mm) | 61 | 54 | 78 | 83 | 114 | 154 | 159 | 151 | 101 | 73 | 83 | 73 | 1,182 |
| Average rainfall days (days) | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 141 |
| Average snowfall (mm) | 243 | 242 | 218 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 123 | 280 | 1,136 |
| Average snowfall days (days) | 15 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 53 |
| Average daily daylight hours (h) | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
| Average daily sunshine hours (h) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Average UV index | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
The best times to visit Salzburg are late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October). These months offer mild temperatures, moderate rainfall, and fewer crowds, making them ideal for sightseeing, cultural events, and outdoor activities. Summer (July–August) is also popular for festivals and outdoor fun, but expect more tourists and higher prices.
The least favourable time to visit Salzburg is from November to March, when cold temperatures, frequent rain or snow, short daylight hours, and overcast skies can limit outdoor activities. However, December is magical for Christmas markets, and winter sports enthusiasts may enjoy the snowy landscape.
Salzburg’s average annual temperature is around 8–9°C. January is the coldest month (highs 2°C, lows -6°C), while July is the warmest (highs 23°C, lows 12°C).
Salzburg receives 1,170–1,800 mm of precipitation annually, with the wettest months in summer. Snow is common in winter, especially from December to February, with 100–120 cm falling each year.
The sunniest period is in summer, especially June and July, with up to 11 hours of sunshine per day. Winter is much cloudier, with only 2–3 hours of sunshine daily.
Winds in Salzburg are generally light, but can be brisk during storms or in exposed alpine areas. The city is more sheltered than higher mountain regions, but gusts can occur during unsettled weather.
The best time for festivals is summer, particularly July and August, when the Salzburg Festival takes place. Spring and autumn also feature cultural events and are less crowded.
Summers are warm but rarely uncomfortably hot, with average highs of 21–25°C. Occasionally, heatwaves can push temperatures above 30°C, but these are usually short-lived.
Pack layers for spring and autumn, light clothing and rain gear for summer, and insulated winter clothing and boots for winter. An umbrella and waterproof jacket are useful year-round.
The warmest month, with the highest average maximum temperature, is July (24.3 °C). The month with the lowest average maximum temperature is January (3.2 °C). Overall, the average maximum temperature over the whole year is 14.2 °C.
The month with the highest average minimum temperature is August (13.6 °C). The coldest month, with the lowest average minimum temperature, is January (-4 °C). Overall, the average minimum temperature over the whole year is 4.9 °C.
The wettest month, with the highest amount of precipitation, is July (159.2 mm). The driest month, with the least amount of precipitation, is February (54.2 mm). Over the whole year there are 1,181.8 mm of rainfall on average.
The month with the most days of rain is June (14.9 days). The month with the fewest days of rain is October (9.3 days). Over the whole year there are 140.8 days of rain on average.
The month with the most snowfall is December (280.4 mm). The months with the least snowfall are June, July, August, September and October (0 mm). Over the whole year there are 1,136.3 mm of snowfall on average.
The month with the most days of snowfall is January (15.3 days). The month with the fewest days of snowfall is September (0 days). Over the whole year there are 53.1 days of snowfall on average.
The month with the longest days, so the most daylight, is June (Average daylight: 15.1 h). The month with the shortest days, so the least daylight, is December (Average daylight: 8 h). Over the whole year there are 11.7 h of daylight per day on average.
The month with the most sunshine per day is July (Average sunshine: 6.9 h). The month with the least sunshine per day is November (Average sunshine: 2 h). Over the whole year there are 4.3 h of sunlight per day on average.
The month with the highest average UV index is June (UV index: 8). The months with the lowest average UV index are January, November and December (UV index: 1). Over the whole year the average UV index is 4.2.
