Best time to visit Zurich
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Zurich
8 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Zurich).
- 1
Private Half-Day Tour to the Rhine Falls with Pick-up at Hotel - 2
Private Tour Lauterbrunnen Interlaken Mürren Swiss Alps - 3
Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein Medieval Town Guided Tour - 4
Private Round Trip Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein from Zurich - 5
Zurich 360° City Walk Tour Including Hidden Spots - 6
Zurich tour with Lake Zurich Cruise & Lindt Chocolate Experience - 7
Zurich Walking Tour With Cruise and Aerial Cable Car - 8
Self-Guided Tour to Lindt Chocolate Museum from Zurich
Last refreshed 2026-05-27.
Similar climatesMunich96% · Lucerne95% · Salzburg93%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Zurich (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Zurich's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1–5 | 1 | 12 | 166 | 13.8 | 78% | 13 | 115 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
| Feb | 0–9 | 6 | 13 | 150 | 11.5 | 70% | 15 | 137 | 1 | Quiet | 5 |
| Mar | 1–11 | 8 | 12 | 146 | 12.2 | 63% | 14 | 189 | 3 | Quiet | 5 |
| Apr | 4–14 | 12 | 12 | 176 | 14.7 | 59% | 14 | 213 | 4 | Quiet | 6 |
| May | 9–18 | 17 | 18 | 217 | 12.1 | 63% | 13 | 229 | 5 | Quiet | 6 |
| Jun | 14–23 | 24 | 16 | 173 | 10.8 | 61% | 12 | 259 | 6 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jul | 15–25 | 25 | 16 | 180 | 11.3 | 61% | 12 | 278 | 6 | Quiet | 7 |
| Aug | 15–25 | 26 | 12 | 152 | 12.7 | 62% | 11 | 242 | 6 | Peak | 8 |
| Sep | 12–21 | 21 | 11 | 140 | 12.7 | 69% | 11 | 210 | 4 | Busy | 7 |
| Oct | 8–16 | 15 | 12 | 146 | 12.2 | 76% | 11 | 163 | 2 | Moderate | 6 |
| Nov | 3–9 | 6 | 14 | 176 | 12.6 | 82% | 12 | 110 | 1 | Peak | 4 |
| Dec | 0–5 | 2 | 16 | 205 | 12.8 | 85% | 12 | 87 | 1 | Busy | 3 |
UV Index in Zurich by Month
UV index in Zurich peaks at 6 (high) in June, dropping to 1 (low) in December. June, July have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
August
8/1015–25°C (feels 26°C) · 12 rain days (152h) · 242 sun hours · 62% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
September
7/1012–21°C · 11 rain days (140h) · 210 sun hours · 69% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
June
7/1014–23°C · 16 rain days (173h) · 259 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
4/10-1–5°C (feels 1°C) · 12 rain days (166h) · 115 sun hours · 78% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
February
5/100–9°C (feels 6°C) · 13 rain days (150h) · 137 sun hours · 70% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
March
5/101–11°C (feels 8°C) · 12 rain days (146h) · 189 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
April
6/104–14°C (feels 12°C) · 12 rain days (176h) · 213 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 5 (moderate)
May
6/109–18°C (feels 17°C) · 18 rain days (217h) · 229 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
July
7/1015–25°C · 16 rain days (180h) · 278 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
October
6/108–16°C · 12 rain days (146h) · 163 sun hours · 76% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
November
4/103–9°C (feels 6°C) · 14 rain days (176h) · 110 sun hours · 82% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 1 (low)
December
3/100–5°C (feels 2°C) · 16 rain days (205h) · 87 sun hours · 85% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Zurich
When is the best time to visit Zurich?
August is the highest-scoring month (8/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 15–25°C (12 rainy days). The top three months by score are August, September, June.
What is the worst time to visit Zurich?
December is the lowest-scoring month (3/10). Typical conditions: 0–5°C (16 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Zurich?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in August. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Zurich have good weather but fewer tourists?
June (climate 7/10, crowd index 25) and July (climate 7/10, crowd index 30) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Zurich by month?
UV peaks at 6 (high) in June and is lowest in December at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 1, Feb 1, Mar 3, Apr 4, May 5, Jun 6, Jul 6, Aug 6, Sep 4, Oct 2, Nov 1, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Zurich in June?
June is the peak UV month in Zurich, with a daily-peak UV index of 6 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Zurich on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 6 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 8 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Zurich bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 6 months: January, February, March, October, November, December. The worst month is February with a typical-day mean of 13 µg/m³ (moderate); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 22 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.