Vail
CO · 11,570 ft summit · EGE
NWS Grade
2025–26 Season Snapshot
Storms This Season
129
storms tracked
Season Snowfall
697"
calibrated total
Best Storm
64/100
Significant
Current Snowpack
0"
842:CO:SNTL
Avg Daily Rate
3.2"/day
storms with data
Season SWE
0.0"
snow water equivalent
NWS Forecast Accuracy
Good news — NWS underestimates snowfall here by 44%
Vail typically receives 1.8× the NWS forecast amount. When NWS says 6 inches, you should expect closer to 11 inches. StormDrop calibrated estimates account for this.
Small sample (n=4) limits confidence; all storms occurred within 4 days in March during shoulder season. High wind speeds (18–39 mph) present across all events but show no clear correlation with error magnitude. Rain risk was zero for all forecasts; pattern cannot be evaluated. Recommend collecting additional spring/fall transitional-season data to validate rules, particularly for low-forecast-amount and ultra-light-density scenarios.
Based on 4 verified storms · SNOTEL ground truth (842:CO:SNTL)
Storm History — 2025–26 Season
Apr 17 – Apr 18
NWS Forecast
3.2"
Calibrated
5.7"
Actual (SNOTEL)
Pending
Density: Average
Rate: 5.7"/day
Apr 17 – Apr 18
NWS Forecast
2.8"
Calibrated
5.0"
Actual (SNOTEL)
Pending
Density: Average
Rate: 4.1"/day
Apr 15 – Apr 15
NWS Forecast
0.1"
Calibrated
0.2"
Actual (SNOTEL)
Pending
Density: Average
Rate: 0.2"/day
Show 126 more storms
Apr 15 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 15 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 15 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 15 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 15 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 15 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 2" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 5" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 14 – Apr 15
Level 1 · 8" calibrated
Apr 13 – Apr 14
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 12 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 12 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 12 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 12 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 12 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 12
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 11 – Apr 11
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 9 – Apr 9
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 7 – Apr 7
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 7 – Apr 8
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 4 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 4 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 4 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 4 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 2" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 4" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 5" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 6" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 6" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 7" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 7" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 9" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 3
Level 2 · 10" calibrated
Apr 3 – Apr 3
Level 2 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 2 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 2 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 2 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 2 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 2
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 2
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 2
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 9" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 9" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 9" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 10" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 10" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 2 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 13" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 13" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 13" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 10" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 10" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 10" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 11" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 12" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 4
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Apr 1 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Mar 31 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Mar 31 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Mar 31 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Mar 31 – Apr 3
Level 1 · 16" calibrated
Mar 31 – Apr 2
Level 1 · 8" calibrated
Mar 31 – Apr 2
Level 1 · 6" calibrated
Mar 31 – Mar 31
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 24 – Mar 24
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Mar 17 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Mar 17 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Mar 17 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 17 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 17 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 16 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 16 – Mar 17
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 15 – Mar 15
Level 1 · 0" calibrated
Mar 15 – Mar 15
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Mar 15 – Mar 15
Level 1 · 3" calibrated
Mar 11 – Mar 11
Level 1 · 1" calibrated
Local Knowledge
TGR Community IntelStorm Day Strategy
Monitor NOAA warnings for Vail/Gore/Elk Mountains corridor. Be skeptical of April storm hype - NOAA tends to overestimate. Late April and May can produce epic snow (10-20 inches). Rain line typically occurs around 10k elevation during spring storms. Base layer structure essential. Afternoon conditions (3:30pm+) improve significantly as storm systems pass. Avoid I-70 during major dumps due to chain requirements and accident risks. Early season (October) - A-Basin often opens before Vail despite marketing claims.
Terrain Opening Patterns
Back Bowls
Opens: Variable - requires significant base
Delayed opening in low snow years; needs 4+ feet total for optimal skiing
Northwoods Lift Area
Opens: Dependent on base depth
In poor snow years, resort uses ice/snow blocks to support lift maze poles
Powder Stashes
High Alpine Terrain
Upper mountain
Northwest winds create wind-buffed powder pockets; check high alpine at Breck as reference
Grouse Area (Beaver Creek)
Upper terrain
Sleeper area that holds snow quality longer than main runs
Full local intelligence for Vail
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Based on 513 community reports · 2017-12-31 → 2026-03-07
Road & Access
I-70 Corridor (Eisenhower Tunnel to Vail)
OpenHistorical Patterns
Temperature effect: Colder storms (avg 11.7°F) show actual snowfall near or exceeding forecast; single warmer event (21°F avg) produced zero snowfall vs. 0.3" forecast. Limited data suggests marginal/transitional temperatures may amplify underprediction.
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