weather ski conditions apps best dangerous safety
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La Niña or El Niño? What to Expect This Winter

The 411 for planning your ski trip around the weather

weather ski conditions apps best dangerous safety

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Since the dawn of the Weather Channel, skiers have frantically watched to see whether it’s a La Niña or El Niño year. In the former, the Pacific Northwest gets dumped on, while in the latter, the southern Rockies and the East Coast get more snow. This year it’s neither.

Long-term weather forecasts predict below-average temperatures for two-thirds of the U.S. and above-average precipitation for northern New England. Our suggestion: book a trip out west for mid-March, when storms are expected to be strongest. Keep track of them with the Ski and Snow Report app from OnTheSnow, which lets you compare the latest snow reports from up to 16 of your favorite resorts, tells you which of them got the biggest overnight storm, and—best of all—sends a text message when your local hill gets a six-inch dump. (Free; Android and iOS)

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