New Map Predicts How El Niño Will Affect Ski Season Nationwide
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El Niño is coming, and AccuWeather has a new forecast map about how it will affect ski season from California to Maine.
"El Niño could bring a much better ski season to parts of the West, while prolonged warmth and less reliable snow may create tougher conditions for resorts across the Midwest and East," writes AccuWeather. "The best ski conditions across the entire country are expected in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, California and Nevada."
As for the Northwest, it's a bit of a toss-up, but AccuWeather isn't putting the proverbial nail in the coffin quite yet. "The storm track across the Northwest will be a bit inconsistent, so likely periods of snow and cold followed by several weeks with dry and warmer conditions," AccuWeather Long-range Expert Paul Pastelok explained. "The best chance for consistent snow would be December to early January."
Ski resorts in the Midwest and the East Coast are expected to be negatively impacted by El Niño, according to AccuWeather. The Midwest could see prolonged stretches of above-average temperatures, which would hamper snowmaking efforts, and the East Coast could see a rollercoaster of weather, including rain, snow, ice, and strong winds.
Check out the full map below, keep reading for a breakdown of ski resorts that could benefit from El Niño, and those that could suffer, according to AccuWeather.
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El Niño Winners, According to AccuWeather
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Alta Ski Area, Utah
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Arizona Snowbowl, Arizona
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Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
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Big Bear, California
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Mammoth Mountain, California
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Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe, Nevada
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Palisades Tahoe, California
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Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
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Telluride, Colorado
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Wolf Creek, Colorado
El Niño Losers, According to AccuWeather
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Boyne Mountain, Michigan
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Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania
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Granite Peak, Wisconsin
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Hunter Mountain, New York
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Lutsen Mountain, Minnesota
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Massanutten, Virginia
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Mount Bohemia, Michigan
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Snowshoe, West Virginia
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Sugar Mountain, North Carolina
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Wisp, Maryland
El Niño Toss-Up, According to AccuWeather
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Big Sky, Montana
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Bogus Basin, Idaho
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Brundage, Idaho
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Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming
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Jay Peak, Vermont
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Grand Targhee, Wyoming
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Smugglers' Notch, Vermont
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Sun Valley, Idaho
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Whiteface, New York
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Whitefish, Montana
H. Armstrong Roberts via Getty Images
Confused? Don't Worry, We Are Too
The pending "historic" El Niño forecast is ripe for internet misinformation, overreactions, and talking heads. It's been one of the clickiest topics of 2026, and with ski resorts reeling from last season's woes, every resort is marketing this winter's bomber forecast as the gospel.
Our advice? Pay attention, watch, and read the weekly forecasts, but don't, for the love of Candide Thovex , think that anybody knows what the heck will actually happen. AI models, years of experience, and opinions are valuable tools to attempt to predict the future, but Mother Nature will have the final say, believe it or not.
The 2026/27 print issue of POWDER Magazine is here. Click here to have a copy shipped to your front door. Copies can also be found on newsstands at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, and more .
This story was originally published by POWDER on Nov 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add POWDER as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
