Photo Credit: Arlen Redekop via The Vancouver Sun-PNG
As everyone bundles up for the winter season, the time for skiers and snowboarders to hit the slopes is approaching quickly. With the ski season nearing, athletes and amateurs alike must begin to consider what the snow season will be like before purchasing their tickets and passes.
This 2026–2027 winter season brings with it an El Niño winter, bringing warmer than average temperatures to BC’s Lower Mainland.
El Niño, translating to “little boy” in Spanish, typically occurs every 2–7 years, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Home. It is caused by a weakening of trade winds, which results in warm water getting pushed back east, toward the West Coast of North and South America. The Pacific jet stream, a fast band of wind flowing from East Asia across the North Pacific Ocean toward North America, ends up shifted south of its neutral position.
Because of this shift in wind, Canada’s West Coast becomes dryer and warmer than usual, while the US Gulf Coast and Southeast experience increased rain and flooding.
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, residents should expect a Vancouver special: Rain, wind, and brief periods of thawing.
To a skier or snowboarder, that spells out danger. However, many local ski resorts plan to utilize snowbuilding efforts to make snowfall sufficient for individuals to be able to get on the slopes early.
So far, Whistler and Mt. Seymour have been the only mountains near Vancouver to announce potential opening times, which were recognized in Powder Magazine. Whistler is planning to open its hills on Nov. 20, and Mt. Seymour is planning to open for skiing on Dec. 11.
The Whistler Insider reported that ski season at Whistler is “typically late November until early May, conditions permitting.”