gg2
El Nino heavy snow map
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
El Niño strengthens with over 90% chance of a very strong event for winter 2026-27. Southern and western U.S. states may see above-average snow, especially at high elevations.
Background
El Niño is the warm phase of the ENSO oscillation, which alters weather patterns globally. A strengthening El Niño shifts the Pacific jet stream southward, bringing wetter conditions to the southern U.S. and potentially more snow at higher elevations in the Southwest and Rockies.
How it unfolded
- Sep 3, 2026Severe Weather Europe publishes winter 2026/2027 snowfall predictions, noting a strong El Niño pattern with below-normal lowland snow in Europe but heavy snow in the Alps.
- Sep 7, 2026Newsweek reports NOAA meteorologist's forecast of a greater than 90% chance of a very strong El Niño event, with California and Southeast seeing greatest impacts.
- Sep 8, 2026Multiple outlets publish maps showing U.S. states likely to face heavy snowfall, including California, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Colorado.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- NOAA notes strong El Niño increases odds of typical impacts but does not guarantee them in any particular location.
- Expert
- Meteorologist Crystal Egge says historically strong El Niño winters favor a wetter storm track across the southern tier, translating to above-average snowfall in higher elevations.
- Caution
- Forecasters stress that maps describe probabilities, not guaranteed conditions, and the forecast could still change.