Did some one say El Nino?

Those two Spanish words are music to the Colorado Skier's ears.
When a mass of warm water, known as El Nino, forms in the southern Pacific, as it has this year, it tends to funnel moisture up towards the Colorado Rockies, making for epic skiing.

This is especially true in the southwest. El Nino doesn't guarantee lots of snow, but it certainly increases the probability. If it does come, it will probably fall mostly on resorts in the southern half of the state (Telluride, Durango Mountain, Wolf Creek, and maybe Monarch). The northern half of the state can be a bit drier. This might not be the year to buy a season pass at Steamboat Springs. But it could be a great year for a field trip to Taos.

Keep your skis crossed.