home of the Pure Awesomeness Factor Better Data, Better Skiing

Boreal and El Niño

Little effect

El Niño winters bring Boreal about about the same snow than a typical winter.

Based on 14 El Niño winters since 1986: 8 of them beat Boreal's median snowfall. But El Niño winters here vary so much that there's no clear pattern. Ranks #47 of 152 Western resorts for El Niño snowfall.

El Niño winters (14) −1% snowfall vs. a typical winter 0.1°C (0.2°F) warmer
Strong El Niño (4) +5% snowfall vs. a typical winter
La Niña winters (14) +7% snowfall vs. a typical winter 0.3°C (0.6°F) colder

Checked against a real snow station: at the Css Lab SNOTEL station, measured precipitation in El Niño winters ran −5% vs. its average (43 winters of measurements).

Every winter since 1986

Snowfall each winter compared with Boreal's 40-winter average, colored by what the Pacific was doing.

El Niño La Niña Neutral

Mid-mountain, November–April. Any single winter can buck the pattern; that's why we look at averages.

Right now NOAA's latest Oceanic Niño Index reading (Jun–Aug 2026) is +1.8°C: strong El Niño conditions. NOAA's outlook says how long it's expected to last.
El Niño speaks Hear what's in store from El Niño himself.

← All resorts: El Niño map & rankings Boreal climate change profile →