If one thing’s nearly certain for the 2024-25 ski season, it’s that atmospheric patterns that can dictate snow conditions will be different from last year.  Ahead of winter, the continental U.S. is expected to shift into a La Nina pattern generally characterized by more precipitous, cooler weather in the north and drier, warmer weather in the south. La Nina occurs when surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America fall below average, pushing the jet stream north.  During the 2023-24 season, the opposite pattern, El Nino, was present, which can have the inverse effect. In a blog post on OpenSnow.com earlier this month, meteorologist Sam Collentine said forecasts favor a “weak” La Nina forming — meaning accompanying snowfall could be on the lower end of what La Nina typically brings. 

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