Zürich Sunshine Hours by Month
The amount of sunshine is fundamental to comprehending a place's climate. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Zürich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Long-term data from 1990 to 2020 was used to calculate these averages.
Monthly hours of sunshine
Sunshine in Zürich varies greatly throughout the year. The sunniest month, July, reaches an impressive 230 hours, while December, the darkest month, offers only 48 hours. The total annual amount of sun is 1705 hours.
Daily hours of sunshine
For those who appreciate different seasons, Zürich serves as an ideal destination. Expect longer, more sun-filled days in July with an average of 7.7 hours of sunshine daily, and embrace the darker days in December, offering only 1.6 hours of daily sunlight.
Average percent of sunshine
On average the sun shines 53% of the time during the day in July, the highest percentage of any month. December has the lowest percentage at 20%.
Zürich vs Major Cities: Sunshine Compared
Zürich enjoys an average of 1705 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:
Athens, Greece, enjoys 2769 hours of sunshine each year, making it one of the sunniest destinations in the Mediterranean region.
In contrast, Tromsø , Norway, receives only about 1270 hours of sunshine per year, known for the polar night with no sunlight for weeks during winter.
Toronto, Canada, sees around 2071 hours of sunshine each year, with especially long, bright summer days.
Melbourne, Australia, has 2380 hours of sunshine annually, with its famous “four seasons in a day” weather pattern.
Related Climate Data for Zürich
June, Zürich’s wettest month, receives 135 mm (5.3 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 23°C (73°F). During the driest month February you can expect a temperature of 7°C (45°F).
For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Zürich Precipitation page.
