Warmer Than Average Winter Forecasted for Most of U.S.
Weather.com has released its annual long-range winter forecast, and their predictions for Winter '24/'25 won't be celebrated by many skiers across the country.
The outlet is calling for "warmer than average" temperatures for the majority of the U.S. Check out their December 2024-February 2025 temperature outlook below.
Weather.com is particularly confident in above average temperatures for the South, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern Plains. This area is identified by the dark red 'Most Above' shading in the map above. The forecast is less-severe for our skiing friends in New England, but even a slightly above average winter, when it comes to temperatures, is not ideal for this region known for attracting rain and ice. In agreement with many of the La Niña forecasts POWDER has covered leading up to Winter '24/'25, Weather.com believes that a 'Weak La Niña' will benefit skiers in the Pacific Northwest. This is the only region in the entire contiguous United States that Weather.com is forecasting to have below average temperatures this winter, but the site has clarified that the outlook is only 'slightly below' average. This forecast extends east into the northern Rockies of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and even further to North Dakota and Minnesota. Look for ski resorts in these states to have stellar ski seasons.
The Intermountain West— Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and as far west as The Sierra, are a bit of a toss up. Weather.com has the bulk of this region in the slightly-above average category, which could lead to a variety of results. For example, the record-breaking Winter '22/'23 for Tahoe and Utah was affected by a weak La Niña. Most forecasts agree that the Rockies will experience an average season when it comes to snowfall, but warm temperatures could be a hinderance. It's obviously too-early to tell, but keep Weather.com's forecast in mind when planing your ski trips this upcoming season. With that said, Weather.com has released a separate temperature outlook for just the month of February, 2025. There's a chance, at least according to Todd Crawford, Vice President of Meteorology at Atmospheric G2, that below average temperatures could creep their way into the Central Rockies. See below.
Note how the Pacific Northwest's cold temperatures are expected to get more severe, and that slightly below average temperatures are expected across California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of northern Colorado. Weather.com has not released a Spring 2025 Outlook, but a flurry of cold, late-season storms could do wonders for the Intermountain West, especially if the early and mid season are expected to be warmer than normal. It's important to remember that long-range weather forecasts are always subject to change. Just because a group of extremely intelligent people make a prediction in October, doesn't mean that's how Mother Nature will actually play out. With that in mind, take Weather.com's predictions, and any long-range forecast for that matter, with a grain of salt. Winter is coming regardless how "good" or not it's going to be. Snow will fly, skis will slide, and fun will be had!
Related: With Deep Snow in the Forecast, Is Colorado's Ski Season About to Start?
