Ski resorts in super El Niño winters
What the snowpack looked like on April 1 near 50 western US ski resorts in the three super El Niño winters on record — 1982–83, 1997–98 and 2015–16 — as a percentage of the normal (median) snowpack at the same station, and where this season’s snowpack stands so far.
History from 3 winters, not a forecast. Three winters are too few to predict a fourth, and they did not agree with each other everywhere. Each resort is represented by one official snow station nearby — its name and distance are in every row — measuring snow water equivalent (the water in the snowpack), not snowfall or conditions on the runs.
Of the 50 stations: 17 historically above median · 14 historically near median · 15 mixed · 1 historically below median · 3 too few winters to say. “Above” means 110% of median or more in most of the winters on record, “below” 90% or less, “mixed” no majority. 37 stations have all three winters; the rest were installed later.
| Heavenly, CAStation: Heavenly Valley, 2.4 km away, 72 m above mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 242% | 169% | 143% | 0.2 intoo early for a % of median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northstar California, CAStation: Truckee #2, 6.2 km away, 296 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 238% | 177% | 98% | 0.5 intoo early for a % of median |
| Kirkwood, CAStation: Blue Lakes, 14.9 km away, 226 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 240% | 150% | 115% | 1.5 intoo early for a % of median |
| Palisades Tahoe, CAStation: Palisades Tahoe, 2.7 km away, 117 m above mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 210% | 181% | 96% | 1.5 in107% of median |
| Sierra-at-Tahoe, CAStation: Echo Peak, 5.5 km away, 29 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 220% | 141% | 122% | 1.6 in145% of median |
| Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, NVStation: Mt Rose Ski Area, 1.6 km away, 52 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 220% | 132% | 121% | 1.4 in140% of median |
| Brian Head, UTStation: Castle Valley, 10.6 km away, 209 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 201% | 124% | 119% | 0.0 intoo early for a % of median |
| Snowbasin, UTStation: Ben Lomond Peak, 19.2 km away, 64 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 162% | 161% | 100% | 0.1 in9% of median |
| Powder Mountain, UTStation: Ben Lomond Peak, 13.6 km away, 144 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 162% | 161% | 100% | 0.1 in9% of median |
| Ski Santa Fe, NMStation: Santa Fe, 3.1 km away, 82 m above mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1996 | 145% | 125% | 0.2 in20% of median |
| Sugar Bowl, CAStation: Independence Lake, 13.8 km away, 215 m above mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 156% | 125% | 118% | 1.2 in75% of median |
| Mission Ridge, WAStation: Grouse Camp, 6.8 km away, 93 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 153% | 105% | 117% | 0.1 intoo early for a % of median |
| Steamboat, COStation: Dry Lake, 8.7 km away, 151 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 131% | 95% | 127% | 0.1 in6% of median |
| Winter Park, COStation: Berthoud Summit, 9.3 km away, 235 m above mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 118% | 101% | 114% | 0.4 in22% of median |
| Keystone, COStation: Grizzly Peak, 8.6 km away, 81 m above mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 115% | 100% | 111% | 0.0 in0% of median |
| Arapahoe Basin, COStation: Grizzly Peak, 0.5 km away, 245 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 115% | 100% | 111% | 0.0 in0% of median |
| Loveland Ski Area, COStation: Grizzly Peak, 4.5 km away, 242 m below mid-mountain | Historically above medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 115% | 100% | 111% | 0.0 in0% of median |
| Park City Mountain, UTStation: Parleys Summit, 16.0 km away, 251 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 170% | 109% | 105% | 0.0 intoo early for a % of median |
| Deer Valley, UTStation: Parleys Summit, 18.8 km away, 146 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 3 of 3 | 170% | 109% | 105% | 0.0 intoo early for a % of median |
| Wolf Creek, COStation: Upper San Juan, 4.0 km away, 293 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 156% | 102% | 99% | 0.9 in64% of median |
| Mt. Bachelor, ORStation: Three Creeks Meadow, 16.0 km away, 519 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 150% | 105% | 95% | 0.1 intoo early for a % of median |
| Mt. Hood Meadows, ORStation: Mt Hood Test Site, 4.2 km away, 162 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 123% | 104% | 94% | 0.3 in14% of median |
| Timberline Lodge, ORStation: Mt Hood Test Site, 1.2 km away, 354 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 123% | 104% | 94% | 0.3 in14% of median |
| The Summit at Snoqualmie, WAStation: Olallie Meadows, 6.0 km away, 2 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 95% | 106% | 106% | 0.1 intoo early for a % of median |
| Crested Butte, COStation: Butte, 1.1 km away, 176 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 112% | 94% | 101% | 0.6 in60% of median |
| Big Sky, MTStation: Lone Mountain, 2.4 km away, 50 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 1 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1988 | 97% | 104% | 1.1 in39% of median |
| Breckenridge, COStation: Copper Mountain, 9.1 km away, 244 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 101% | 96% | 103% | 0.3 in19% of median |
| Copper Mountain, COStation: Copper Mountain, 2.3 km away, 156 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 101% | 96% | 103% | 0.3 in19% of median |
| Alta, UTStation: Snowbird, 2.7 km away, 192 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 1 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1988 | 101% | 93% | 1.8 in60% of median |
| Snowbird, UTStation: Snowbird, 1.3 km away, 64 m below mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 1 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1988 | 101% | 93% | 1.8 in60% of median |
| Crystal Mountain, WAStation: Corral Pass, 9.3 km away, 32 m above mid-mountain | Historically near medianabove its median in 2 of 3 | 83% | 101% | 101% | 1.0 in45% of median |
| Sun Valley, IDStation: Hyndman, 16.3 km away, 43 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 191% | 90% | 107% | 0.1 intoo early for a % of median |
| Brundage Mountain, IDStation: Secesh Summit, 25.0 km away, 95 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 157% | 87% | 105% | 0.2 in17% of median |
| Schweitzer, IDStation: Schweitzer Basin, 1.4 km away, 271 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 142% | 90% | 109% | 1.6 in47% of median |
| Brighton, UTStation: Brighton, 0.2 km away, 255 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 1 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1986 | 120% | 99% | 0.2 in14% of median |
| Solitude, UTStation: Brighton, 2.4 km away, 137 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 1 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1986 | 120% | 99% | 0.2 in14% of median |
| Arizona Snowbowl, AZStation: Snowslide Canyon, 5.6 km away, 192 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 1 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1997 | 163% | 57% | 1.4 intoo early for a % of median |
| Jackson Hole, WYStation: Phillips Bench, 10.4 km away, 64 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 136% | 103% | 86% | 0.2 in10% of median |
| Vail, COStation: Vail Mountain, 2.6 km away, 136 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 131% | 86% | 103% | 0.5 in23% of median |
| Beaver Creek, COStation: Vail Mountain, 11.8 km away, 158 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 131% | 86% | 103% | 0.5 in23% of median |
| Purgatory, COStation: Lizard Head Pass, 21.1 km away, 117 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 2 of 3 | 129% | 89% | 101% | 1.5 in125% of median |
| Telluride, COStation: Red Mountain Pass, 12.7 km away, 37 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 1 of 3 | 131% | 95% | 90% | 6.8 in262% of median |
| White Pass, WAStation: Pigtail Peak, 1.8 km away, 91 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 1 of 3 | 87% | 99% | 110% | 1.9 in95% of median |
| Bridger Bowl, MTStation: Brackett Creek, 8.8 km away, 9 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 0 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1992 | 83% | 99% | 0.1 in5% of median |
| Aspen Snowmass, COStation: Schofield Pass, 23.2 km away, 101 m above mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 0 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1984 | 96% | 85% | 4.2 in117% of median |
| Mt. Baker Ski Area, WAStation: Wells Creek, 9.2 km away, 78 m below mid-mountain | Mixedabove its median in 0 of 2 | no data — station record starts 1995 | 79% | 97% | 0.1 intoo early for a % of median |
| Stevens Pass, WAStation: Stevens Pass, 0.3 km away, 309 m below mid-mountain | Historically below medianabove its median in 0 of 3 | 65% | 98% | 86% | 0.0 intoo early for a % of median |
| Bogus Basin, IDStation: Bogus Basin, 0.5 km away, 96 m below mid-mountain | Too few winters to sayonly one of the three winters is in the station record | no data — station record starts 1999 | no data — station record starts 1999 | 107% | 0.1 intoo early for a % of median |
| Taos Ski Valley, NMStation: Taos Powderhorn, 1.6 km away, 55 m above mid-mountain | Too few winters to sayonly one of the three winters is in the station record | no data — station record starts 2010 | no data — station record starts 2010 | 98% | 1.8 in138% of median |
| Grand Targhee, WYStation: Grand Targhee, 2.6 km away, 123 m above mid-mountain | Too few winters to sayonly one of the three winters is in the station record | no data — station record starts 2006 | no data — station record starts 2006 | 96% | 1.7 in26% of median |
Winter columns: April 1 snow water equivalent as % of the station’s 1991–2020 median for that date. “So far this season”: latest reading as of November 11, 2026, updated weekly; a percentage is shown only once the median for the date reaches 1 inch — earlier it swings too widely to mean anything. Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, SNOTEL, downloaded November 11, 2026. Not included: Mammoth Mountain and Whitefish Mountain Resort (no station close enough), Canada and the US Northeast (no comparable official station series with published medians).
Deepest April 1 snowpacks in the three winters
The ten stations with the highest average across all three winters. An average of three numbers hides how different the winters were — check the columns above.
- Heavenly, CA — 185% of median on average (242%, 169%, 143%); station Heavenly Valley
- Northstar California, CA — 171% of median on average (238%, 177%, 98%); station Truckee #2
- Kirkwood, CA — 168% of median on average (240%, 150%, 115%); station Blue Lakes
- Palisades Tahoe, CA — 162% of median on average (210%, 181%, 96%); station Palisades Tahoe
- Sierra-at-Tahoe, CA — 161% of median on average (220%, 141%, 122%); station Echo Peak
- Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, NV — 158% of median on average (220%, 132%, 121%); station Mt Rose Ski Area
- Brian Head, UT — 148% of median on average (201%, 124%, 119%); station Castle Valley
- Powder Mountain, UT — 141% of median on average (162%, 161%, 100%); station Ben Lomond Peak
- Snowbasin, UT — 141% of median on average (162%, 161%, 100%); station Ben Lomond Peak
- Sugar Bowl, CA — 133% of median on average (156%, 125%, 118%); station Independence Lake
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