There are Predictions of a Super El Niño Coming to Colorado in 2027

I think we can all agree that we have dodged a major bullet in the weather department these past 12 months. While I hate how dry everything is due to the lack of moisture we've seen, the idea of a Super El Niño hitting Colorado this upcoming winter is a bit jarring. As we all know, the moisture levels in Colorado have been at record lows this year, and that's bad for so many reasons. Heading into surely a hot and dry summer means water restrictions and fire danger galore. What should we as Coloradans expect this upcoming winter season?

What does Super El Niño mean?

El Niño refers to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean, which is the world's largest body of water. These changing temperatures create a domino effect on weather patterns all over the world, including in Colorado. A "super" El Niño occurs when those temperatures rise 2°C or more above average. It seems like such a simple little thing, but those measly 2 degrees can signal an especially powerful event.

What does this mean for Colorado conditions?

The good news is that meteorologists are saying that a Super El Niño would actually be a good thing, giving us the moisture that Colorado so desperately needs. Denver averages around 50 inches of seasonal snowfall, but El Niño winters increase that number to around 72 to 81 inches. Since we haven't even come close to touching the average of 50 inches, just imagine the moisture we could see with the predicted Super El Niño.

This is actually great news for Colorado!

Yearly Colorado Snowfall Averages

• 2025–2026 (so far): ~21–22 inches (wayyyyyyyy below average) 
• 2024–2025:  43.5 inches (below average)
• 2023–2024:  46 inches (below average
• 2022–2023:  48 inches (near average)
• 2021–2022:  35–40 inches (below average)