El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026
Hotham El Niño rank & forecast
Hotham ranks #475 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier E, −30% in strong El Niño winters.
Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter: Strong El Niño winters ran clearly below this resort’s own baseline (≤ −8%). Still skiable — schedule late season; one storm cycle can beat the climatology.
Strong-event signal: −30% vs this resort's 30-yr avg
In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Hotham averaged -30% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. Historically this is a timing play rather than a reason to stay home: aim for late winter (February–March) in winter 2026. Analog winters: '97-98 -60%, '15-16 -39%, '23-24 +8%. A pattern, not a promise.
In-season scorecard
Predicted signal
−30%
Measured to date
−25%
Season total
62 cm
Vs predicted
+5%
Predicted signal vs measured season-to-date against this resort’s own climatology.
