As the leaves turn and ski season approaches, all eyes are on the weather models and seasonal forecasts. For skiers and snowboarders headed to Colorado and Utah, the winter 2025–2026 forecast is shaping up to be complex, with several competing climate signals at play. Here’s what the latest updates from OpenSnow, NOAA, and long-range forecasters suggest.

According to OpenSnow, confidence is increasing that a weak La Niña will take hold by late fall and persist into early winter before trending neutral by spring. Historically, La Niña winters favor:

• Above-average snowfall across the Northern Rockies (Montana, Wyoming, Idaho)
• Mixed results in Colorado
• Drier-than-average conditions in Utah and the Southwest

For Colorado skiers, weak La Niñas can tilt storm tracks toward the northern half of the state, benefiting resorts like Vail and Breckenridge.

The NOAA seasonal forecast adds another wrinkle:

• Temperatures: Above-average odds for warmer-than-normal conditions in Colorado and Utah through much of the season.
• Precipitation: “Equal chances” for near-, above-, or below-normal snowfall in Colorado, with a tilt toward below normal in Utah.
• Winners: The Northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest are NOAA’s best bets for consistent snowfall.

Translation: Colorado and Utah will likely see periods of great skiing, but timing trips around storm cycles will be key.

For a bit of old-school forecasting, both almanacs chimed in with very different takes:

• Old Farmer’s Almanac: Calls for a mild, wet winter in Colorado—suggesting more mixed precipitation events. If freezing levels cooperate, this could still deliver powder.
• Farmers’ Almanac: Goes the opposite direction, calling for a frigid and snowy winter across the Rockies.

While less scientific, these contrasting predictions underscore the uncertainty inherent in long-range outlooks.

• Best bets in Colorado: Northern mountains (Breckenridge and Vail) are more likely to score frequent storms.
• Utah outlook: Alta, Deer Valley, Park City, Snowbird, and Brighton could still see deep powder if storm tracks align, but climatology suggests less consistent snowfall.
• Wildcard powder days: Cold snaps in late November, early December, and February (highlighted by the Old Farmer’s Almanac) may line up with storm cycles for prime conditions.

Long-range forecasts are fascinating but imperfect. The overlap of a weak La Niña, a developing Blob, and cold Atlantic anomalies makes this season particularly challenging to predict. The safest strategy?

• Stay flexible with bookings.
• Monitor OpenSnow’s 7–10 day outlooks to chase storms.
• Plan trips in January and February, when snowpacks are deepest and the atmosphere’s patterns are better established.
• One thing’s sure: even in variable years, Colorado and Utah deliver unforgettable ski days, it’s just about being in the right place at the right time.