Arizona Snowbowl Fires Up Snowmaking as Temps Drop and El Niño Approaches

This is not a drill. Arizona Snowbowl is blowing snow.

The resort announced that, starting at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, it fired up its snow guns from the top of the Arizona Gondola down to Agassiz Lodge. The resort said it’s “seen solid temps through the night and well into this morning” and asked skiers to “keep your fingers crossed for cold temps!”

While the skies are now clear and the temperatures are expected to crest just above freezing at Snowbowl today, the resort expects to continue snowmaking Wednesday night, and whenever temperatures permit, a rep said in an email.

Snowbowl plans to open on November 20, conditions permitting. Last season, after several feet of snow fell, the resort opened the same day, which, at the time, was a day earlier than planned.

For Snowbowl, the latest snowmaking push comes alongside the installation of four new tower snow guns near Big Spruce, aimed at improving coverage in the learning area. They’re part of a more than $1 million pre-season investment that also included the installation of a new 150-foot conveyor, Sunshine.

Like other Mountain Capital Partners resorts, Snowbowl’s advance tickets start at $9, with prices increasing with demand. If you don’t mind combing through the calendar, you can also find some $1 tickets. 

While it’s far too early to guess what a stretch of chilly October weather might mean for the season to come, there is cause for cautious optimism. As you’ve surely heard, El Niño’s here and it’s a big one. With that in the background, Arizona’s among the Southwest states forecasters say have higher odds for more than usual precipitation. 

Yet, the temperature question remains unanswered. In its outlooks, the Climate Prediction Center currently puts Arizona down for “equal chances” that they skew above or below average this winter. 

Our advice? If you’re planning to buy a pass or a ticket, do it—winter’s just around the corner either way and, as last season taught us, you can absolutely make the most of a tough situation even when the conditions don’t cooperate. Otherwise, it’s best not to count the flakes before they’re on the ground, but snow dances are encouraged.

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