NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released its updated October 2026 weather outlook on September 17th, providing an early look at how the first full month of fall could shape up across the United States. For skiers watching the developing 2026-27 season, the latest forecast contains some encouraging signals across the Rockies.
The outlook does not predict snowfall or individual storm systems this far in advance, but it does show where temperatures and precipitation are more likely to fall above, near, or below the long-term average.
Rockies See Favorable Precipitation Signal
The biggest positive for the ski industry is the precipitation outlook across much of the Southwest and central Rockies. NOAA’s October map shows a broad area leaning toward above-normal precipitation stretching from parts of the Southwest across the Four Corners region and into the central Plains. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and portions of surrounding states are included within the wetter-than-normal signal.
For Colorado ski areas, that could be an encouraging setup heading toward the beginning of the 2026-27 ski season. Resorts like Breckenridge Ski Resort, Winter Park Resort, Steamboat Resort and Telluride Ski Resort could all benefit from an active precipitation pattern if it produces colder storms at elevation.
Temperatures Give the Rockies an Open Door
NOAA’s October temperature outlook places much of the interior West under an equal-chances designation, meaning the forecast does not show a meaningful tilt toward above-normal or below-normal average temperatures.
That could be pretty important for the ski slopes. A warmer-than-normal October could limit the ability of early-season snow to stick around at lower elevations, while a colder pattern could help build an early snowpack. NOAA’s current forecast does not strongly favor either outcome across much of the Rockies.
The combination of near-neutral temperature odds and a precipitation tilt toward wetter conditions gives the region an opportunity for meaningful early-season snowfall if individual storm systems bring sufficiently cold air.
October Could Set the Tone for Ski Season
The October outlook is only one piece of the larger 2026-27 winter forecast, and NOAA cautions that long-range outlooks should not be interpreted as short-term weather forecasts. Conditions can change substantially as the season approaches.
Still, the latest update provides something for Rocky Mountain skiers to watch. A wetter October across portions of the Rockies, combined with no strong temperature signal, could create a favorable foundation for the upcoming ski season if colder conditions arrive with the precipitation.
