PNW Ski Season Forecast 2026-27
The short answer: PassCast's simulations currently put PNW below a typical season for 2026-27, with an average skiability of 55/100 across 14 mountains. Alyeska (80), Mt Baker (74), Stevens Pass (67) 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
No US region has more to lose from a strong El Niño: the jet dives south and the Cascades marinate in mild Pacific air. The analogs are grim — 2023-24 delivered one of the worst Cascade seasons in memory with mid-winter rain to the summits, and 1997-98 ran well below normal; 2015-16 was the merciful near-normal exception. Odds strongly favor below-average snowfall and elevated freezing levels, hitting low-elevation terrain hardest. Book March, not December.
Every PNW 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 | Alyeska AK | 80 | 670" | 102% | ~42 |
| 2 | Mt Baker WA | 74 | 588" | 90% | ~37 |
| 3 | Stevens Pass WA | 67 | 414" | 88% | ~22 |
| 4 | Crystal Mountain WA | 66 | 428" | 88% | ~23 |
| 5 | Mt. Bachelor OR | 66 | 417" | 89% | ~22 |
| 6 | White Pass WA | 58 | 319" | 91% | ~14 |
| 7 | Timberline OR | 52 | 381" | 75% | ~21 |
| 8 | Mt Hood Meadows OR | 51 | 320" | 80% | ~16 |
| 9 | 49 Degrees North WA | 47 | 243" | 83% | ~14 |
| 10 | Willamette Pass OR | 46 | 242" | 85% | ~11 |
| 11 | Bluewood WA | 43 | 224" | 82% | ~10 |
| 12 | Hoodoo OR | 43 | 265" | 77% | ~13 |
| 13 | Mt Hood Skibowl OR | 42 | 224" | 81% | ~9 |
| 14 | Mission Ridge WA | 39 | 159" | 88% | ~7 |
Pass coverage in PNW
Indy Pass$369 · 6 of 14 PNW mountains
White Pass · Mt Hood Meadows · 49 Degrees North · Bluewood · Hoodoo · Mission Ridge
Ikon Pass$1,449 · 3 of 14 PNW mountains
Alyeska · Crystal Mountain · Mt. Bachelor
Ikon Base$1,019 · 3 of 14 PNW mountains
Alyeska · Crystal Mountain · Mt. Bachelor
PNW 2026-27: straight answers
- Will PNW have a good 2026-27 ski season?
- PassCast's daily 10,000-run simulations put PNW's 14 tracked mountains at 86% of a typical season on average — below a typical season — with an average skiability rating of 55/100. No US region has more to lose from a strong El Niño: the jet dives south and the Cascades marinate in mild Pacific air. The analogs are grim — 2023-24 delivered one of the worst Cascade seasons in memory with mid-winter rain to the summits, and 1997-98 ran well below normal; 2015-16 was the merciful near-normal exception.
- Which PNW ski resort will have the best snow in 2026-27?
- As of today's simulation, Alyeska leads PNW with a skiability rating of 80/100 ("Exceptional season likely") and a median of 670" — 102% of its typical season. The full ranking on this page updates daily.
- Which ski pass covers PNW?
- Indy Pass covers 6 of the 14 tracked PNW mountains (e.g. White Pass, Mt Hood Meadows); Ikon Pass covers 3 of the 14 tracked PNW mountains (e.g. Alyeska, Crystal Mountain); Ikon Base covers 3 of the 14 tracked PNW mountains (e.g. Alyeska, Crystal Mountain). PassCast's Pass Finder runs your exact PNW 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.