With growing discussion about the possibility of another powerful El Niño, many skiers are looking back at the last “Super El Niño” winter to see which mountains benefited the most. The 2015 and 2016 season produced dramatic weather patterns across North America. While expectations pointed toward huge snowfall across much of the West, the results varied by region.
The strongest winners were found in California, parts of the Pacific Northwest, and several areas of the northern Rockies. Some regions that traditionally dominate annual snowfall totals actually finished below average despite several memorable storms.
California Delivered the Biggest Comeback
California was arguably the biggest success story of the 2015 and 2016 ski season. After years of severe drought, a steady parade of Pacific storms rebuilt the Sierra snowpack and restored conditions at many resorts.
The return of atmospheric rivers helped produce one of the strongest seasons California had experienced in several years. Tahoe resorts enjoyed consistent snowfall, improved base depths, and a major boost in skier visits after the lean years that preceded the season. NOAA precipitation maps from that winter clearly show Northern California among the wettest regions in the continental United States. Tahoe was one of the biggest winners of the season because of its dramatic recovery from the drought years.
Mount Baker Returned to Form
Although El Niño often brings warmer conditions to the Pacific Northwest, higher elevation resorts still performed exceptionally well. Mount Baker finished the season with more than 600 inches of snowfall after suffering through an unusually poor winter the year before.
The rebound highlighted how elevation and storm timing can outweigh broad climate signals. While lower elevation areas occasionally dealt with rain, Mount Baker once again ranked among the snowiest ski areas in North America.
Not Every Traditional Snow Leader Won
One of the surprises of the season came in Utah. Alta received roughly 384 inches of snowfall, well below its long term average of more than 550 inches. Snowpack across parts of the Wasatch also finished below normal despite several high quality powder cycles.
Colorado experienced a split season. Northern resorts generally fared well while parts of the San Juan Mountains underperformed compared with preseason forecasts. Conditions varied considerably depending on storm tracks throughout the winter.
The Biggest Winner Was California
If one region deserves the title of best ski season during the last Super El Niño, it’s California. The combination of abundant snowfall, a recovering snowpack, and a return to reliable winter conditions made the Sierra the clear success story.
The winter also demonstrated that every El Niño develops differently. Large scale climate patterns can favor certain regions, but elevation, storm timing, and local geography still determine which ski resorts enjoy truly exceptional seasons.
As anticipation builds for the next strong El Niño, the winter of 2015 and 2016 remains one of the best recent examples of how dramatically a single climate pattern can reshape an entire ski season.
