SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NOAA’s Winter 2025–2026 outlook, released Thursday, Oct. 16, signals a dynamic and snowy season for the Intermountain West and Four Corners region — particularly in the higher terrain of Utah, Colorado, and northern New Mexico. The Climate Prediction Center’s maps show above-normal precipitation and near- to below-normal temperatures through February, a pattern often linked to a strengthening La Niña.
According to NOAA meteorologists, La Niña tends to funnel moisture-rich Pacific storms across the central and northern Rockies while occasionally extending into the Four Corners. “This year’s outlook favors an active mountain snow season,” forecasters said. Snowpack could build early across the Wasatch, San Juan, and Elk Mountains, improving ski conditions and boosting spring water supplies.
By December, early snow cover and periodic Arctic fronts could make for a white Christmas across much of the high country, from Flagstaff to Durango and up through Park City. Lower valleys in Utah and northern Arizona may alternate between rain and light snow, depending on storm tracks. Travel along I-70, I-40, and U.S. 550 could face slick, snow-packed conditions during major systems.
NOAA notes that February 2026 may bring the coldest temperatures of the season, with continued snowfall into early March. Farther south, northern New Mexico and the Arizona highlands could still see late-season snow bursts before spring warmth sets in. Residents and travelers are urged to monitor mountain weather advisories closely and prepare for road closures and avalanche hazards throughout the core winter months.
