Why a New Take on the Stratospheric Polar Vortex Could Lead to Better Seasonal Weather Forecasts Will next season be better? The annual question, asked after both exceedingly deep and depressingly shallow winters, represents not only the hopes and dreams of skiers everywhere, but also one of the biggest challenges in meteorology and atmospheric science. Long-term weather forecasts are notoriously inaccurate. The Farmer’s Almanac Winter Forecast, probably the most famous seasonal weather forecast, does about as […] Weather Zach Armstrong | May 30, 2026 0 Comments
A Utah University is Selling its Ski Resort Property Weber State University, located in Ogden, Utah, has owned land at Powder Mountain for more than 30 years. But after its monthly Board of Trustees meeting on May 21, the university announced it will sell its land. The land will be sold for $3.2 million, which is “well above market value,” according to Vice President of Administrative Services Mark Halverson. Weber State […] Industry News Quinn Brophy | May 28, 2026 0 Comments
How To Avoid A Shark Attack When Surfing Let’s face it — knowing how to avoid shark attacks is something every surfer should think about. Sure, they are often misunderstood and get a bad rap since they are incredibly vital to the ecosystem and oceanic food chain, and may not mean to attack surfers in particular. Sometimes we just look like food, dressed in our wetsuits on our […] Surf Martin Kuprianowicz | May 23, 2026 2 Comments
Glacier National Park Bear Attack Kills Hiker for First Time in 27 Years Published, May 8, 2026 / Updated, May 11, 2026: This Glacier National Park bear attack article has been updated to reflect the official identification of the victim by the National Park Service, a correction to his hometown, and new details indicating the encounter was likely a surprise. Glacier National Park Bear Attack: What Officials Know So Far Search and rescue […] National Parks SnowBrains | May 8, 2026 0 Comments
Top 5 U.S. Mountain Towns To Retire In While most retirees flock to the warm weather, low-tax havens of the southern United States, such as Florida and Arizona, others choose to live out their golden years chasing powder and enjoying crisp mountain air. While retiring in a mountain town might sound appealing, there are some amenities most look for in their later years, like access to healthcare, proximity […] Brains Joseph Kaufmann | May 4, 2026 6 Comments
How Colorado’s Peaks Prepared the Artemis II Astronauts for Their Lunar Mission As the Artemis II astronauts celebrate their safe return to Earth, the success of their historic lunar flyby is being traced back to the rugged terrain of the Colorado Rockies. While much of the spacecraft’s hardware was built in Denver, the crew’s ability to navigate the celestial unknown was sharpened in the high-altitude wilderness of the Centennial State. Related: Colorado’s […] Martin Kuprianowicz | April 16, 2026 0 Comments
The 9 US States with the Highest Average Elevation Elevation shapes just about everything in skiing, from snow quality and storm cycles to how long a season can last. Knowing which states have the highest average elevation reveals far more than geography; it explains where consistent snowpack forms, why the Mountain West dominates the ski industry, and how climate change will affect access to snow sports for decades to […] Brains Brent Glogau | April 13, 2026 0 Comments
Jackson Hole, WY, Announces The Kings and Queens of Greens [Did we get you with this post? Yes, this was one of our April Fools posts.] In a move that industry insiders are already calling “long overdue,” Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming, today announced a bold new competition set to debut next season: The Kings and Queens of Greens. According to resort spokesperson Andy Ericson, the groundbreaking event will gather […] Brains Bob Witowski | April 1, 2026 0 Comments
NOAA April 2026 Forecast: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly for U.S. Skiers The NOAA has just released its April 2026 forecast. Below is a summary for skiers and riders, followed by the full text discussion. Check out SnowBrains’ regular snow forecasts. TL;DR: The West is in rough shape for April. Warm temperatures and below-normal precipitation are forecast across the Sierra Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, where snowpack was already well below average heading […] Weather WeatherBrains | March 20, 2026 0 Comments
The Top 5 Highest-Paid Athletes Competing at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games The Olympics are an incredible event, uniting the world under competition to see which countries and individuals are the greatest at their sport. While every athlete at the games has worked tirelessly to earn their spot, not all athletes are paid equivalently. Whether it is from representing different countries, or competing in separate sports, different athletes will be going home […] Olympics Zach Suffish | February 23, 2026 0 Comments
“We Are Heartbroken”—Blackbird Mountain Guides Speak After Castle Peak, CA, Avalanche Blackbird Mountain Guides—the mountain guide company behind the deadly Castle Peak avalanche—has issued a public statement mourning the victims of last week’s catastrophic avalanche. The statement, released Saturday, February 21, followed a press conference by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office confirming that recovery efforts had concluded earlier that morning. “We continue to grieve the devastating loss of life from the […] Avalanche Julia Schneemann | February 22, 2026 0 Comments
Pennsylvania’s Epic Pass Playground: How All 8 Resorts Stack Up Pennsylvania isn’t just the Keystone State–it’s the epicenter of Epic Pass ski resorts in the Mid-Atlantic. With eight Vail-owned resorts under the Epic umbrella–Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel Mountain, Liberty Mountain, Roundtop Mountain, Whitetail Resort, and Jack Frost Big Boulder–PA packs more Epic options into one state than any other in the region. Sure, the Midwest edges it out with […] Brains Gregg Frantz | February 20, 2026 0 Comments
NOAA March 2026 Outlook: Could Miracle March Save the Season? The NOAA has just released its March 2026 outlook. Below is a summary for skiers and riders, followed by the full text discussion. Related: SnowBrains Forecast: Up to Two More Feet for Colorado With More Storms Lined Up Warmer, drier weather is favored for much of the southern and central United States in March, while storms focus on the Pacific […] Weather WeatherBrains | February 19, 2026 0 Comments
Free Urban Terrain Park in Downtown Denver, CO, Opens for the Season Denver, Colorado, Parkrats who don’t want to face the I-70 nightmare now have a terrain park a little closer to home. Ruby Hill Railyard in Denver is now open to snowboarders and skiers and features 11 rails and boxes of varying configurations and skill levels. This terrain park can be found off South Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue […] Industry News SnowBrains | February 3, 2026 0 Comments
AccuWeather Releases 2026 U.S. Spring Forecast: Winter Lingers in the North as Early Heat Grips the South Spring 2026 is expected to arrive unevenly across the United States, with lingering cold and late-season snow in northern regions while early warmth and drought concerns develop farther south, according to long-range forecasts from AccuWeather. AccuWeather meteorologists say the season will be marked by sharp regional contrasts, with winter holding on across parts of the Northeast, Midwest, and northern Plains […] Weather WeatherBrains | January 28, 2026 1 Comment
NOAA February 2026 Outlook: Pattern Change Could Finally Bring Relief to the Snow-Starved Western United States The NOAA recently released its outlook for February 2026. Will we see fortunes change for the snow-starved west? A summary is below, followed by the full text discussion. A weakening La Niña and a strengthening Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) could finally bring relief to the snow-starved western United States in February, according to the latest 30-day outlook from the Climate Prediction […] Weather WeatherBrains | January 19, 2026 2 Comments
NOAA January 2026 Outlook: Can the West’s Ski Season be Saved? The NOAA released its monthly outlook for January 2026 today. Below is a summary for those unfamiliar with meteorological terminology, and the full discussion further down for those who are. TL;DR – January 2026 favors a classic weak La Niña setup: colder, stormier conditions and better snow odds for the Pacific Northwest, Northern Rockies, Great Lakes, and western Alaska, with more […] Weather WeatherBrains | December 18, 2025 0 Comments
[NOVEMBER UPDATE] NOAA Winter 2025-26 Forecast: New Forecast Pinpoints Snowiest (and Driest) Regions The November update of the NOAA long-lead outlook delivers fresh insight into the 2025–26 winter forecast across America’s mountain regions. Related: SnowBrains Winter 2025-26 Forecast: Month-by-Month and Region-by-Region — Where it’s Going to Snow This Winter Related: Farmers’ Almanac Winter 2025-26 Forecast: Cold and Snowy Winter Ahead. But Where? Related: Winter 2024-25 Scorecard: How the Big Names in Long Range […] Weather WeatherBrains | November 24, 2025 0 Comments
DJI’s Future in the U.S. Drone Industry Hangs on a Year-End Security Review U.S. lawmakers are moving to restrict DJI drones over concerns that the Chinese-made aircraft could threaten national security. The Countering CCP Drones Act (H.R.2864), introduced by Representatives Elise Stefanik and James Gallagher, would add DJI to the FCC’s Covered List, blocking its products from operating on U.S. communication frequencies. The bill passed the House in June and is now in […] Industry News Brent Glogau | November 4, 2025 1 Comment
Old Farmer’s Almanac Christmas Weather Prediction for North America: Snow, Storms, and Sunshine Whether you’re chasing powder across the border or loading the car for your annual mountain getaway, the weather Christmas week 2025 is shaping up to bring a mix of snow, sunshine, and a few classic winter storms across North America. This early forecast from the Old Farmer’s Almanac offers a look at conditions across the U.S. and Canada to help […] Weather Brent Glogau | November 4, 2025 1 Comment
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