As of its latest ENSO diagnostic discussion published earlier this month, NOAA narrowly favors the emergence of La Niña conditions during the fall and the first few months of winter.
NOAA’s anticipated odds of La Niña peak during a three-month stretch between October and December. Then, the agency predicted, ENSO will return to its neutral phase.
Skiers closely watch the phases of ENSO, which stands for El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Why? The climatic phenomenon corresponds with cooler-than-average Pacific sea temperatures that nudge the weather and provide forecasters with helpful clues about what any given winter might look like. Keep reading for the fours ski resorts that POWDER thinks could benefit the most if La Niña does occur during Winter 25/26.
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During La Niña, some ski resorts tend to see more snow than others.
How Does La Niña Impact Winter Weather?
In terms of ski conditions, La Niña tends to favor the northwestern U.S., where states like Washington, Oregon, and Idaho have, over the decades, seen higher-than-average snowfall when the climatic phenomenon appears. The opposite is true for Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
El Niño, La Niña’s counterpart, flips the ENSO script, with colder-than-average temperatures and more precipitation likelier across the southern U.S. But NOAA doesn’t expect it to show its face anytime soon.
Then, there’s ENSO’s neutral phase—also known as La Nada—which doesn’t load the meteorological dice in either direction. That makes it harder for forecasters to predict where powder might land in advance.
Skiing in the backcountry at Mt. Baker, Washington. The ski area once set a snowfall world record during La Niña.
4 Ski Resorts That Could Benefit the Most From La Niña
Historically, the La Niña snow bullseye has been firmly trained on Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana. It stretches into British Columbia and Alberta, too.
If La Niña emerges, then ski resorts in those states and provinces are the ones to watch. While these mountains aren’t guaranteed bottomless powder, their chances of snow days increase when La Niña comes to town.
Each resort’s average snowfall, and the previous winter’s snowfall totals (which was affected by La Niña), have been included below:
Mt. Baker Ski Area was slammed with deep snowfall in November of 2024. La Niña could deliver similar conditions this winter.
Courtesy Mt. Baker Ski Area
1. Mt. Baker, Washington
Average snowfall: 688 inches
2024-2025 season snowfall: 585 inches
Mt. Baker is the La Niña powder skiing poster child. During the 1998-1999 ski season, a moderately strong La Niña appeared. At Mt. Baker, it started snowing and didn’t stop. By the end of that winter, the ski area had racked up 1,140 inches of snow or 95 feet. NOAA verified the total as a new snowfall world record. La Niña or not, Mt. Baker is known for its deep snow. On average, the ski area receives nearly 700 inches each winter.
2. Timberline Lodge, Oregon
Average Snowfall: N/A (Timberline does not report an average snowfall, but the mountain regularly records more than 500 inches per season)
2024-2025 season snowfall: 533 inches
Perhaps best known for its lift-served summer skiing, Timberline Lodge is also a wintertime powerhouse that accumulates a deep well of snow. Last winter, the ski resort’s snow depth peaked around 13 and a half feet. Like Mt. Baker, Timberline Lodge is positioned in the heart of the historical Pacific Northwest La Niña snowfall pattern.
Scenic photo of Whistler mountain and Blackcomb terrain park.
3. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
Average snowfall: 408 inches
2024-2025 season snowfall: N/A
Whistler Blackcomb is another La Niña beneficiary with improved odds that its yearly snowfall total climbs above its already high 408-inch average. Western British Columbia is among the regions throughout North America that can see more snow during La Niña.
Lookout Pass Ski Area.
CSNafzger/Shutterstock
4. Lookout Pass, Idaho/Montana
Average snowfall: 450 inches
2024-2025 season snowfall: 452 inches
Perched on the Idaho and Montana border, Lookout Pass is relatively small and lesser known, but that doesn’t mean the snow doesn’t stack up here. Last winter, the ski area opened early on November 8 thanks to a fall storm. By the time the season ended, Lookout Pass had amassed about 450 inches of snow at its summit. La Niña could bode well for the little ski area, tipping the scales towards another powder frenzy.
La Niña Is Coming—These 4 Ski Resorts Could Benefit the Most first appeared on Powder on Aug 18, 2025