2025-26 Ski Season Summary

The following major weather patterns affected the 2025-26 ski season.
Late October to mid-November: There was moderate snowfall in northern regions but zero south of Oregon/Wyoming.
Second half of November: One isolated storm tracked from California into the Southwest but was mostly rain at low elevations.
First week of December: This was the only early season even moderately snowy week for most of Utah and Colorado.
Mid-December: Strong storms hit the northern regions but the first ones were all rain below 6,000 feet. Pre-Christmas storms brought heavy snow from Washington State into western Canada.
Christmas Week: A major storm hit California with lesser amounts in adjacent regions.
First week of January: Moderate storms hit California, Utah and the northern regions.
Second week of January: A warm atmospheric river rained in the Northwest and lower elevations in Canada while warm and dry weather emerged farther south.
Mid-January to early February: This was a sustained and widespread dry spell.
Third week of February: This was the snowiest week of the season, with all regions getting some snow and major dumps in California and Utah.
Fourth week of February: California had several days of rain to 9,000+ feet while warm weather and spring conditions emerged elsewhere.
First week of March: There was moderate new snow in northern regions and as far south as northern Utah and Colorado.
The rest of March: Washington State and coastal B.C had major snow during the second week of March but high elevation rain the following week. Interior Canada had normal snowfall while the rest of the western US had no snow and a record heat wave.
April had moderate snow in the Sierra, Utah and US Northern Rockies with less in other regions.

US skier visits of 52.6 million were a 15% decline from last year. This is comparable to the decline in previous widespread bad snow years in 1980-81 and 2011-12 . See 2025-26 Ski Season Analysis.