Park City has seen a tough year for skiing and snowfall during its winter season from 2025-2026 due to low amounts of snow and warm temperatures throughout the season, as well as the nearly unpredictable severity of storms when they occurred.
The winter season started with a great deal of promise, with quite a bit of snow having fallen at the end of fall, but it quickly fell off. By February 5th, Park City received approximately 85 inches of snow, compared to Park City’s yearly average of around 300 inches throughout the season. About snowpack throughout the season, the total amounts of snow on the ground have stayed well below average throughout the season. The snowpack level in the Park City area in January had been reported at approximately 49% below the historical normalized median level, indicating that there were drought-like conditions in the area. Even in March, the snowpack at Park City only reached approximately 77% of its normal levels throughout the winter season and would still be below what would typically be seen through the middle of the ski season. As of mid-March, Park City’s total cumulative snowfall sat just shy of 120 inches, approximately 50% of their long-term average (for Park City, the long-term average is the sum of snowfall from all (very long) storm seasons in five years).
What Has Caused This Year’s Lack of Snow?
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Meteorologists attribute most of the below-average snowfall this season to four primary factors:
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Unseasonably warm temperatures
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Fewer winter storms are entering Utah
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Less than ideal storm track across the Rocky Mountains
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A larger regional pattern related to climate change across North America
The 2025/2026 winter season is representative of how unpredictable Utah can be. Although Park City has a reputation for being one of the best snowboard destinations in the world, this season illustrates that top ski resorts are also affected by the variability of nature in general! From the locals’ perspective and from the visitors’ perspective, this winter will be remembered as much for how well skiers coped with the lack of snow and their ability to adapt to different kinds of skiing as it will for the overall amount of snow that was received on Park City’s slopes.
