24 resorts · 40 winters · 2026–27 outlook
No. El Niño winters here have run a little leaner. El Niño winters have brought the Pacific Northwest and Alaska's resorts 7% less snow than a typical winter, and 5% less snow in the strongest El Niño winters.
Washington and Oregon tend to run warmer and drier in El Niño winters, with more of the precipitation falling as rain down low. Alaska is the exception: its resorts have done better in El Niño winters.
Of 24 resorts, 2 get more snow in most El Niño winters, 8 show no clear effect, and 14 get less.
+10% snow in El Niño winters, +22% in strong ones. More snow.
+10% snow in El Niño winters, +17% in strong ones. More snow.
Snowfall in El Niño winters compared with each resort's 40-winter average (mid-mountain, Nov–Apr). The percentage is the average; the color says whether you can count on it.
| # | Resort | El Niñosnow vs. avg | La Niñasnow vs. avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AlyeskaAK | +10% | −4% |
| 2 | Arctic ValleyAK | +10% | −3% |
| 3 | EaglecrestAK | +1% | −1% |
| 4 | Mt AshlandOR | −2% | +4% |
| 5 | Loup LoupWA | −3% | +6% |
| 6 | Anthony LakesOR | −6% | +6% |
| 7 | Warner CanyonOR | −6% | +10% |
| 8 | Mt BachelorOR | −6% | +7% |
| 9 | Mission RidgeWA | −7% | +8% |
| 10 | TimberlineOR | −8% | +7% |
| 11 | Mt BakerWA | −8% | +6% |
| 12 | WillametteOR | −8% | +10% |
| 13 | Mt Hood MeadowsOR | −8% | +8% |
| 14 | White PassWA | −10% | +8% |
| 15 | Crystal MountainWA | −10% | +8% |
| 16 | Stevens PassWA | −10% | +8% |
| 17 | 49 Degrees NorthWA | −10% | +10% |
| 18 | HoodooOR | −11% | +12% |
| 19 | Spout SpringsOR | −11% | +12% |
| 20 | Mt SpokaneWA | −13% | +12% |
| 21 | SnoqualmieWA | −13% | +11% |
| 22 | Mt Hood SkibowlOR | −14% | +13% |
| 23 | BluewoodWA | −14% | +15% |
| 24 | Moose MountainAK | −18% | +4% |
2026–27 is shaping up as a strong El Niño. Here's how each Pacific Northwest & Alaska resort did in the 4 strongest El Niño winters since 1986 (peak index +1.5°C or more), compared with its own average. A handful of winters, so read it as history, not a forecast.
| Resort | 1991–92 | 1997–98 | 2015–16 | 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alyeska | +19% | +29% | +35% | +5% |
| Arctic Valley | +18% | +9% | +23% | +19% |
| Eaglecrest | +31% | −11% | −2% | +10% |
| Mt Ashland | −47% | +25% | +27% | +11% |
| Loup Loup | −19% | −4% | +39% | −9% |
| Anthony Lakes | −24% | −12% | +13% | +4% |
| Warner Canyon | −48% | +14% | +18% | +20% |
| Mt Bachelor | −34% | −13% | +13% | +10% |
| Mission Ridge | −30% | −12% | +33% | −2% |
| Timberline | −27% | −13% | +13% | +11% |
| Mt Baker | −15% | −11% | +4% | −19% |
| Willamette | −48% | −12% | +17% | +13% |
| Mt Hood Meadows | −32% | −9% | +11% | +10% |
| White Pass | −22% | −9% | +12% | −7% |
| Crystal Mountain | −22% | −15% | +16% | −9% |
| Stevens Pass | −19% | −18% | +12% | −9% |
| 49 Degrees North | −28% | −8% | +10% | +1% |
| Hoodoo | −48% | −16% | +6% | +7% |
| Spout Springs | −31% | −14% | +3% | −16% |
| Mt Spokane | −31% | −9% | +5% | −1% |
| Snoqualmie | −26% | −18% | +4% | −11% |
| Mt Hood Skibowl | −53% | −6% | +7% | +1% |
| Bluewood | −44% | −13% | −1% | −8% |
| Moose Mountain | +24% | −53% | −28% | −6% |
| Pacific Northwest & Alaska average | −23% | −8% | +12% | +1% |
Every North American resort is on the El Niño map and full ranking, with how we measured it: 40 winters of ERA5-Land weather at each resort's mid-mountain elevation, tagged by NOAA's Oceanic Niño Index and checked against 89 SNOTEL snow stations.