Mountain High and El Niño

Little effect

El Niño winters bring Mountain High about 16% more snow than a typical winter.

Based on 14 El Niño winters since 1986: 8 of them beat Mountain High's median snowfall. But El Niño winters here vary a lot, so it's a weak tendency at best. Ranks #10 of 152 Western resorts for El Niño snowfall.

El Niño winters (14) +16% snowfall vs. a typical winter 0.3°C (0.6°F) colder 15 days more of natural ski season

Strong El Niño (4) +40% snowfall vs. a typical winter

La Niña winters (14) −4% snowfall vs. a typical winter About the same temperature

Every winter since 1986

Snowfall each winter compared with Mountain High'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.

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