See What the ‘Super El Niño’ Means for This Year’s Ski Season

A facts-only brief, written by a local AI model from this article in The Wall Street Journal, November 13, 2026. It may contain mistakes, and it is not the article: the full story is at wsj.com.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported on Thursday that the current El Niño event continues to strengthen and is expected to remain strong through March. This weather pattern, which disrupts jet streams to bring wetter conditions to the southern United States and milder temperatures to the north, has led ski industry groups to anticipate above-average snowfall in regions such as Utah, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and California. Philip Mote, a climate scientist at Oregon State University, described the rapid early development of this year’s event as unprecedented. Meanwhile, Daniel Swain of the University of California noted that while precipitation may be high, warmer temperatures could limit snow accumulation in lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada.

Background

• The National Ski Areas Association stated that the Rocky Mountain region received only half its average snowfall during the previous winter.
• Ski Utah launched a marketing campaign promoting the potential for exceptional snow conditions, while Vail Resorts cited the developing weather pattern in its preseason announcements.
• Historical data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service shows that snowpack levels during strong El Niño years have varied significantly, with some stations recording above-median snow and others below.
• OpenSnow forecasts predict above-average snowfall for specific resorts in southern Idaho, California, and the southern and eastern mountains of Colorado.

Read the full article at wsj.com

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