With 'Super El Niño' on the way, Vail Resorts announces opening dates in the West

SALT LAKE CITY — As we endure the extended "dog days of summer" — typically July 3 to Aug. 11 — amid another hot spell, one ski resort company already has its sights set on what the coming "Super El Niño " is expected to deliver.

Vail Resorts announced 2026-27 winter season opening dates Tuesday for several of its resorts in the western U.S. and Canada, including in Utah.

"It may only be August, but we're laser-focused on preparing our resorts to deliver the best and most differentiated guest experience in skiing and riding," said Bill Rock, president of Vail Resorts' Mountain Division.

"While no one can predict exactly what Mother Nature will deliver, the possibility of blockbuster snowfall has us feeling optimistic about the winter ahead. And while we'd love to see Super El Niño live up to the hype, we're also taking an aggressive approach to snowmaking to ensure this ski season is one to remember."

Keystone Resort in Colorado looks to retain its title as the first to open in North America for the second year in a row. Here are planned opening dates for Vail-owned ski areas:

• As soon as possible in October — Keystone (Colorado)
• Nov. 6 — Breckenridge (Colorado)
• Nov. 13 — Vail Mountain (Colorado)
• Nov. 20 — Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia), Park City Mountain (Utah), Heavenly (California) and Northstar (California)
• Nov. 25 — Beaver Creek (Colorado) and Crested Butte (Colorado)
• Dec. 4 — Kirkwood (California) and Stevens Pass (Washington)

Opening dates are subject to change based on weather and conditions.

In Utah, Brian Head Resort is targeting a Nov. 6 opening. It spent $1 million on snowmaking improvements, including a new pipeline to allow crews to operate up to 24 snow guns simultaneously on Navajo Mountain. It was the first ski area to open in the state last year. Located near Cedar City, it is owned by Mountain Capital Partners.

What is a Super El Niño?

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean in which sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific become warmer than average. When the sea surface temperature there runs at least 0.5 degrees Celsius above average for a sustained period, meteorologists call it El Niño. When it runs cold, it's called La Niña.

Meteorologists typically use the term Super El Niño when temperatures climb 2 degrees Celsius above normal. Meteorologists will compare specific Pacific temperatures to the average temperatures in the area and then compare that to the rest of the tropical oceans to determine that 2-degree threshold.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, El Niño will gain strength through the end of the year, with a 97% chance it will persist through early spring 2027. And there is an 81% chance of a very strong El Niño during October through December that would rank among the largest El Niño events in the historical record going back to 1950.

What's in the winter forecast for Utah ski resorts?

OpenSnow weather forecaster Evan Thayer said El Niño has always had a "bit of a messaging problem" in Utah because its reputation and track record don't always match. Typically it pushes the storm track south, resulting in above-average snowfall — sometimes well above average — in southern Utah, he said.

"The Wasatch, on the other hand, has a more complicated relationship," Thayer said.

Historically, strong El Niño winters have delivered average to below-average snowpack to northern Utah, especially early in the season, he said. The pattern tends to be slow in November and December but picks up from January through spring.

"Given that this year's event is trending toward 'very strong' rather than 'moderate,' there's a real argument for optimism beyond the historical average. The strongest El Niño on record, 1982–83, didn't play by the 'meh for the Wasatch' rulebook at all — the Cottonwoods reportedly picked up 800 to 900 inches that season, which, until 2022–23, was often cited as the snowiest winter Utah has ever recorded," per Thayer.

The bottom line, he said, is that southern Utah should be feeling very good about its odds heading into 2026–27. Northern Utah's forecast is a little more "trust the process" — a potentially slow-loading November and December, with real reason to believe things turn on later in the season.

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