Every fall, skiers and snowboarders start asking the same question: What kind of winter are we in for? That’s where climate patterns like La Niña come into play. For the ski world, La Niña isn’t just a scientific term—it’s a sign of where the deepest powder and longest seasons might show up.

La Niña is part of a recurring climate cycle known as ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation). In simple terms, it happens when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean are cooler than usual.

This cooling strengthens the Pacific trade winds and shifts the jet stream, creating ripple effects across the globe-especially in North America. While El Niño tends to bring warmer, wetter winters to the south and drier conditions up north, La Niña flips the script: cooler, snowier conditions often take hold in the northern U.S. and Canada. In comparison, the southern U.S. tends to see drier and warmer winters.

Because La Niña reshapes storm tracks, it has a significant influence on where snow falls and how much. For skiers, that means better odds of deep powder days in certain regions.

• Pacific Northwest & British Columbia: Resorts like Whistler Blackcomb, Mt. Baker, and Crystal Mountain often thrive during La Niña, with storms slamming the coast and piling up legendary totals.
• Northern Rockies: Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho typically benefit, with ski areas like Big Sky, Jackson Hole, and Sun Valley seeing consistent snow.
• Utah & Northern Colorado: Resorts such as Alta, Snowbird, Steamboat, and Winter Park often do well when storms ride a northern track.
• Northeast: States like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine can see colder winters with stronger snowmaking windows and the occasional Nor’easter fueled by La Niña patterns.
• Southern Rockies & Southwest: Areas like Arizona Snowbowl, Taos, and southern Colorado may experience leaner winters, with warmer and drier conditions prevailing.

Skiers still talk about the 2022–23 season, when a rare “triple-dip” La Niña brought massive snow totals across much of the West. Alta, Utah, broke its all-time snowfall record, while resorts in California extended their seasons into July. Even though California is usually drier during La Niña years, that season proved how unpredictable things can get—reminding us that climate patterns tilt the odds, but don’t write the script.

NOAA has already issued a La Niña Watch, with a strong likelihood of conditions setting up through winter. Early models suggest a weaker La Niña, meaning impacts might not be as extreme as past years, but skiers in northern regions should still have reason to get excited.

Meteorologists like Chris Tomer and OpenSnow’s forecasting team note that La Niña often “stacks the deck” in favor of above-average snowfall for much of the West—especially in the Northern Rockies, Wasatch, and Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, skiers in New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California may want to temper expectations or plan trips farther north to chase the snow.

If you’re building your ski season around the snow forecast, here are some tips:

• Follow the Jet Stream: Resorts in the northern half of the U.S. and Canada are your safest bet for consistent powder.
• Stay Flexible: La Niña skews the odds but doesn’t guarantee outcomes. Be ready to pivot plans as short-term weather patterns develop.
• Book North-Favored Destinations: Consider trips to Whistler, Jackson Hole, Big Sky, or Alta if you’re aiming for the best snowpack.
• Watch the Forecast Closely: Tools like NOAA, OnTheSnow, and OpenSnow release regular updates that help skiers decide when and where to go.

La Niña is more than a buzzword; it’s one of the most reliable clues skiers have about what kind of winter is coming. While every season has surprises, history shows that La Niña tilts the odds toward bigger storms, colder temps, and deeper powder in the northern mountains of North America.

So wax your skis, book your trips north, and get ready: La Niña could mean the snowiest turns of your season.