Zurich · Month comparison

October vs September

September ranks #1 overall vs October at #3. The undersold sweet spot — warm enough for the lake, dry enough for the alps, prices drop from August.

Autumn colour over Lake Zurich and Üetliberg ridge

October

#3 of 12 months

Best match

Autumn colour explodes — golden Üetliberg, the Limmat reflecting yellow chestnuts, Film Festival in full swing.

  • ↑Zurich Film Festival early October — premieres at the Festival Centre on Sechseläutenplatz
  • ↑Üetliberg autumn-colour walks — peak the second weekend
Lake Zurich and Alps in clear September light

September

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The undersold sweet spot — warm enough for the lake, dry enough for the alps, prices drop from August.

  • ↑20°C and lake still at 20°C through early September — last realistic swim window
  • ↑Knabenschiessen folk festival (2nd weekend) on Albisgüetli — fairground and shooting tradition
FactorOctoberSeptember
Weather score
7
9
Value score
6
5
Crowd score
7
5
Events score
7
7
Atmosphere
9
10
Avg high temp14°C20°C
Monthly rain75mm80mm
Daily sunshine5hrs7hrs

October trade-offs

  • ↓First high-fog days return — Hochnebel can trap grey over the city for 2-3 days
  • ↓Lake too cold for swimming — Seebad Enge closes mid-month

September trade-offs

  • ↓Daylight contracting — by month end down to 12 hours
  • ↓Lake temperature drops fast in the last week — pack a wetsuit if swimming end-Sep
See all 12 months for Zurich →October in detail →September in detail →
Scores compare months within Zurich. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →