If you are hoping for powder days in the mountains and a few big snowstorms for the Front Range, we are still on track for the chance of enhanced El Niño driven snow this winter for parts of Colorado.
Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have released new information that supports the previous outlook for the potential for a very strong El Niño. In July through early August, El Niño has strengthened with sea surface temperatures rising more than 1.0- 2.0 degrees Celsius. This sets the stage for a 90% chance of a very strong El Niño for the fall/winter stretch of 2026/27.
In fact, if this El Niño warming continues into the winter, when it is expected to peak, there is a 69% chance it could be stronger than previous events going all the way back to 1950, including the all-time record-setting El Niño of 1982/83!
It is important to remember, however, that a strong El Niño doesn’t automatically guarantee a record-setting winter of snow in the central Rockies. What it does do is stack the deck for more available moisture for snowstorms that do develop…