Arizona Snowbowl and El Niño

More snow

El Niño winters bring Arizona Snowbowl about 19% more snow than a typical winter.

Based on 14 El Niño winters since 1986: 11 of them beat Arizona Snowbowl's median snowfall. That's a clear, consistent pattern, not just noise. Ranks #6 of 152 Western resorts for El Niño snowfall.

El Niño winters (14) +19% snowfall vs. a typical winter 0.5°C (0.8°F) colder 14 days more of natural ski season

Strong El Niño (4) +15% snowfall vs. a typical winter

La Niña winters (14) −17% snowfall vs. a typical winter 0.3°C (0.5°F) warmer 16 days fewer of natural ski season

Checked against a real snow station: at the Snowslide Canyon SNOTEL station, measured precipitation in El Niño winters ran +16% vs. its average (29 winters of measurements).

Every winter since 1986

Snowfall each winter compared with Arizona Snowbowl'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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