Midwest Ski Season Forecast 2026-27
The short answer: PassCast's simulations currently put Midwest below a typical season for 2026-27, with an average skiability of 30/100 across 10 mountains. Mount Bohemia (47), Wilmot Mountain (32), Boyne Mountain (31) lead the region today. Forecast-driven ski pass planning starts with where the snow will be — run any of these mountains through the Pass Finder before you buy.
The regional readfrom the 2026-27 outlook · compiled 2026-07-06
Lake-effect country needs cold more than it needs moisture, and a strong El Niño starves it of both: mild Pacific air floods the continent's midsection and CPC's outlook leans dry over the Lakes. 1997-98 and 2015-16 were two of the region's leanest, shortest seasons. Snowmaking-heavy hills will operate; natural-snow gems like Mount Bohemia carry real bust risk. If the Arctic Oscillation dips negative, take the cold snap and ski it hard.
Every Midwest mountain, ranked by 2026-27 forecast
Skiability blends absolute snow (35%), season-vs-typical (30%), powder days (20%), and bust risk (15%). Click through for each mountain's full simulation, month-by-month outlook, and pass math.
| # | Resort | Skiability | Median snow | vs typical | Powder days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Bohemia MI | 47 | 210" | 87% | ~10 |
| 2 | Wilmot Mountain WI | 32 | 41" | 95% | ~1 |
| 3 | Boyne Mountain MI | 31 | 111" | 83% | ~2 |
| 4 | The Highlands MI | 30 | 117" | 82% | ~2 |
| 5 | Nub's Nob MI | 30 | 117" | 82% | ~2 |
| 6 | Lutsen Mountains MN | 30 | 94" | 86% | ~3 |
| 7 | Crystal Mountain (MI) MI | 29 | 109" | 81% | ~2 |
| 8 | Mt Brighton MI | 27 | 34" | 89% | ~0 |
| 9 | Afton Alps MN | 22 | 42" | 83% | ~1 |
| 10 | Granite Peak WI | 20 | 49" | 80% | ~1 |
Pass coverage in Midwest
Ikon Pass$1,449 · 4 of 10 Midwest mountains
Boyne Mountain · The Highlands · Lutsen Mountains · Granite Peak
Ikon Base$1,019 · 4 of 10 Midwest mountains
Boyne Mountain · The Highlands · Lutsen Mountains · Granite Peak
Epic Pass$1,119 · 3 of 10 Midwest mountains
Wilmot Mountain · Mt Brighton · Afton Alps
Epic Local$829 · 3 of 10 Midwest mountains
Wilmot Mountain · Mt Brighton · Afton Alps
Midwest 2026-27: straight answers
- Will Midwest have a good 2026-27 ski season?
- PassCast's daily 10,000-run simulations put Midwest's 10 tracked mountains at 85% of a typical season on average — below a typical season — with an average skiability rating of 30/100. Lake-effect country needs cold more than it needs moisture, and a strong El Niño starves it of both: mild Pacific air floods the continent's midsection and CPC's outlook leans dry over the Lakes. 1997-98 and 2015-16 were two of the region's leanest, shortest seasons.
- Which Midwest ski resort will have the best snow in 2026-27?
- As of today's simulation, Mount Bohemia leads Midwest with a skiability rating of 47/100 ("Selective — time it well") and a median of 210" — 87% of its typical season. The full ranking on this page updates daily.
- Which ski pass covers Midwest?
- Ikon Pass covers 4 of the 10 tracked Midwest mountains (e.g. Boyne Mountain, The Highlands); Ikon Base covers 4 of the 10 tracked Midwest mountains (e.g. Boyne Mountain, The Highlands); Epic Pass covers 3 of the 10 tracked Midwest mountains (e.g. Wilmot Mountain, Mt Brighton). PassCast's Pass Finder runs your exact Midwest plan through every pass's day caps and prices.
Forecasts are probabilistic and reseeded daily from ENSO analogs, NOAA CPC outlooks, and the ECMWF SEAS5 ensemble — see methodology. Regional narrative compiled 2026-07-06.