{"id":1836767,"date":"2026-03-20T12:25:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T09:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1836767"},"modified":"2026-03-20T12:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T09:25:14","slug":"noaa-april-2026-forecast-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-for-u-s-skiers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1836767","title":{"rendered":"NOAA April 2026 Forecast: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly for U.S. Skiers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_396110\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-396110\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-396110 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHvAQMAAAD+SfxyAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAD5JREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20LL6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAICTAZyfAAFvrlOUAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"April 2026 Temperature Outlook. | Image: NOAA\" width=\"640\" height=\"495\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=640%2C495&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=300%2C232&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=1200%2C928&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=768%2C594&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1187&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=600%2C464&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"495\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-396110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_temp.jpeg?resize=640%2C495&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"April 2026 Temperature Outlook. | Image: NOAA\" width=\"640\" height=\"495\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-396110\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">April 2026 Temperature Forecast. | Image: NOAA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-2 ai-viewport-3 ai-insert-2-85073788\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-2-85073788\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"2\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-1 ai-insert-1-49501000\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-1-49501000\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"1\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>The NOAA has just released its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/long_range\/fxus07.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-modified-href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/long_range\/fxus07.html\">April 2026 forecast<\/a>.<\/strong> Below is a summary for skiers and riders, followed by the full text discussion.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Check out SnowBrains\u2019 regular <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/category\/weather\/\">snow forecasts<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>TL;DR:<\/strong> The West is in rough shape for April. Warm temperatures and below-normal precipitation are forecast across the Sierra Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, where snowpack was already well below average heading into spring. The Northwest (Washington, Montana, Idaho) is a mixed bag with no strong signal either way. The real surprise is the Northeast, where equal chances of normal temperature and precipitation, plus a possible early-April cold shot, make Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine the best bet for late-season skiing in the country this month.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4><strong>The Big Picture<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>The climate backdrop for April is shaped by a fading La Ni\u00f1a.<\/strong> The pattern that\u2019s been suppressing precipitation across much of the West all winter is finally loosening its grip, but unfortunately not quickly enough to save the April snowpack at most western ski destinations. The atmosphere is still behaving like La Ni\u00f1a even as ocean temperatures shift, which means the damage to the western mountains is largely done, and warmer-than-normal temperatures are poised to accelerate melting.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The West: Rough Reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>Sierra Nevada (California &amp; Nevada)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>This is where the outlook is most brutal.<\/strong> The Central and Southern Great Basin, which includes the Sierra Nevada\u2019s eastern slopes, carries the highest probability of below-normal precipitation in the entire country, exceeding 60%. Combined with above-normal temperatures forecast across California and the broader Southwest, the Sierra is staring down a tough April.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Snowpack heading into the month was already reported as way below normal, less than 50% of average across much of northern California and Oregon.<\/strong> Once that thin snowpack melts under above-normal temperatures, bare ground heats up quickly, further accelerating the drying cycle. Resorts here are likely looking at an early close or severely compromised spring conditions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Bad. Plan a trip only if your resort has already confirmed season-ending dates.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Cascades (Washington &amp; Oregon)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Washington\u2019s Cascades sit in a zone of equal chances for both temperature and precipitation, meaning forecasters can\u2019t confidently predict whether it\u2019ll be wetter or drier, warmer or cooler than normal.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Oregon\u2019s mountains are more concerning.<\/strong> Much of Oregon falls within the snowpack-depleted zone, and the precipitation outlook leans toward below-normal conditions for areas west of the Continental Divide. The temperature map shows above-normal signals creeping into the interior Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict for Washington: <\/strong>Mixed. Watch for storm updates \u2014 there\u2019s at least a fighting chance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict for Oregon:<\/strong> Leaning bad. Snowpack deficits and marginal precipitation signal.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Utah &amp; Colorado Rockies<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s a tough pill to swallow for fans of the Wasatch and Colorado\u2019s famed powder.<\/strong> Utah sits at the epicenter of the above-temperature signal, with chances of warmer-than-normal conditions exceeding 60% \u2014 among the highest in the Lower 48. The precipitation outlook for areas west of the Continental Divide also leans toward below-normal, with the below-normal precipitation signal extending across much of the Great Basin and into the southern Rockies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Colorado\u2019s situation is somewhat more nuanced depending on which side of the Divide you\u2019re on, but the broader region is trending warm and dry.<\/strong> Below-normal snowpack was already entrenched across the Four Corners area heading into April. Warm temperatures will accelerate snowmelt at lower- and mid-mountain elevations, potentially squeezing viable ski terrain to the upper mountain only.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Ugly. High-elevation terrain may still deliver, but don\u2019t count on powder days.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Montana, Idaho &amp; Wyoming<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>The northern Rockies land in a more favorable position.<\/strong> Much of this region falls into equal-chances territory for precipitation, and while temperatures still lean above normal across the northern tier, the signal is weaker than it is further south. Snowpack going into April was in better shape here than in the southern Rockies and Sierra.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Montana\u2019s northern ranges and Idaho\u2019s Sun Valley\/Sawtooth areas have at least a reasonable shot at decent late-season conditions.<\/strong> Wyoming\u2019s Jackson Hole area sits on the edge. Temperatures lean above normal, but precipitation is less clearly below normal than in Utah or Colorado.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Mixed. The best bet in the West for April. Manage expectations, but don\u2019t cancel plans.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The East: The Surprise Story<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>Northeast (Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine &amp; New York)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>The Northeast is the quiet winner of this outlook.<\/strong> The region has equal chances for both temperature and precipitation, which sounds underwhelming, but relative to nearly everywhere else, it\u2019s genuinely encouraging. There\u2019s no strong warm or dry signal to speak of.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The discussion notes that cooler-than-normal temperatures were actually considered for the Great Lakes and Northeast in early April, driven by a potential shift to a negative Arctic Oscillation.<\/strong> If that pattern verifies, it could mean a refreshing cold shot that extends the season at higher-elevation resorts in Vermont and northern New Hampshire.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Coastal sea-surface temperatures off the Northeast are below average, which can support cooler, stormier setups when the right weather patterns arrive.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Good. The Northeast mountains could be the MVP for April 2026 skiing.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Mid-Atlantic &amp; Appalachians (Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><strong>The Appalachians fall within a zone where above-normal precipitation is favored, stretching from the Ohio Valley through the Upper Mid-Atlantic.<\/strong> That\u2019s a positive signal for late-season snowfall at resorts like Snowshoe in West Virginia and Whitetail in Pennsylvania, if temperatures cooperate. The temperature map shows above-normal temperatures creeping into the Mid-Atlantic, which could mean rain rather than snow at lower elevations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Higher-elevation Appalachian resorts have the best shot here.<\/strong> Late April is already marginal for these mountains, but the wet signal at least suggests opportunities for natural snowfall.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict: <\/strong>Mixed. Higher terrain could surprise but lower elevations will likely see rain.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Bottom Line for Skiers<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Sierra Nevada and Utah Wasatch are the ones to avoid, with well-above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation making for a bleak outlook.<\/strong> Colorado\u2019s Rockies aren\u2019t far behind, leaning above-normal on temperature with a below-to-equal chances precipitation signal. Oregon\u2019s Cascades are similarly poor, while Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana\u2019s northern Rockies are in mixed territory. Temperatures lean warm, but there\u2019s no strong dry signal, making them the West\u2019s best remaining options. Washington\u2019s Cascades sit in equal chances across the board, offering at least some hope. On the other side of the country, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine stand out as the clear best bet, with equal chances for both temperature and precipitation. The West Virginia and Appalachian resorts are a coin flip; an above-normal precipitation signal is encouraging, but warming temperatures mean rain is a real risk at lower elevations.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Final Thought<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019ve been prioritizing western destinations all season and are planning one last April trip, the forecast suggests it\u2019s worth considering a pivot east.<\/strong> The Northeast has the strongest late-season outlook in the country, and with potential cold snaps in early April, New England resorts may offer the most legitimate spring skiing anywhere in the US this month.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For the West, it\u2019s not entirely a write-off.<\/strong> High-elevation terrain at the best-positioned resorts in Montana and Idaho could still deliver, but go in with realistic expectations and check resort snowpack reports before you book.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_396109\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-396109\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-396109 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHvAQMAAAD+SfxyAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAD5JREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20LL6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAICTAZyfAAFvrlOUAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"April 2026 Precipitation Outlook. | Image: NOAA\" width=\"640\" height=\"495\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=640%2C495&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=300%2C232&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=1200%2C928&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=768%2C594&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1187&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=600%2C464&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"495\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-396109\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/off14_prcp.jpeg?resize=640%2C495&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"April 2026 Precipitation Outlook. | Image: NOAA\" width=\"640\" height=\"495\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-396109\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">April 2026 Precipitation Forecast. | Image: NOAA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>April 2026 Forecast <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/long_range\/fxus07.html\">Full Text Discussion<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n<pre>30-DAY OUTLOOK DISCUSSION FOR APR 2026 \n \nThe monthly temperature and precipitation outlooks for April 2026 are based on \nextended- and subseasonal-range model guidance, consideration of ENSO phase, \nclimate drivers (such as sea-surface temperature (SST) and soil moisture \nanomalies, and snowpack), recent observations and decadal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#trend\">trends<\/a> . \n \nThe coupled ocean-atmosphere system is in the process of transitioning from a \nwaning La Nina to ENSO-neutral. Subsurface temperatures in the equatorial \nPacific are now mostly above-average from the surface to a depth of 150-200 \nmeters, with the exception of residual, anomalously cool SSTs over portions of \nthe east-central Pacific. The weekly Nino 3.4 relative SST <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#anomaly\">anomaly<\/a> (using the \nimproved RONI classification) is a nominal -0.5 deg C.\u00a0\u00a0As is often the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#ca\">cas<\/a> e, \natmospheric changes tend to lag oceanic changes. Atmospheric conditions are \nstill consistent with La Nina, and are expected to play a small role in the \nApril temperature and precipitation outlooks. Atmospheric outgoing longwave \nradiation (OLR) departures are still negative across Indonesia and much of \nAustralia (corresponding to enhanced tropical rainfall and thunderstorm \nactivity), and are positive (corresponding to suppressed tropical rainfall and \nthunderstorm activity) in the vicinity of the Date Line.\u00a0\u00a0A large area of \nnegative OLR departures is also prominent over and west of the Hawaiian \nIslands, consistent with recent Kona Low activity with its heavy rainfall, \ngusty winds, and flooding. Low-level wind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#anomalies\">anomalies<\/a> are easterly (i.e. enhanced \ntrades) while upper-level wind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#anomalies\">anomalies<\/a> are westerly. CPCs Official ENSO \nforecast probability bar graph indicates very high (&gt;80 percent) chances of \nENSO-neutral during the March-April-May (MAM) and April-May-June (AMJ) seasons, \nwith El Nino predicted (with a 62 percent chance) to be the dominant ENSO phase \nby June-July-August (JJA). \n \nThe Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#signal\">signal<\/a> is largely incoherent, as equatorial \nRossby waves have frequently interrupted the eastward propagation of the \nenhanced convective envelope in the Central Pacific during the last few weeks. \nThere are very significant model differences in the predicted phase and \namplitude of the intraseasonal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#signal\">signal<\/a> during late March and early April, so the \nMJO was not used in the April outlooks. The Arctic Oscillation (AO) is \ncurrently in its positive phase, and GEFS forecasts indicate a gradual \ntransition to its negative phase in late March, which typically favors \ncooler-than-normal temperatures across the Great Lakes and Northeast. Though \nsupport for a negative AO is not overwhelming, anomalously cooler temperatures \nwere considered for the specified regions noted above in early April. \nNear-coastal SSTs are currently below-average in Bristol Bay off southwestern \nMainland Alaska, and just off the coast of the Northeast contiguous U.S. \n(CONUS).\u00a0\u00a0Above-average SSTs were noted off most of California, and the Gulf \nCoast region. Soil moisture data from CPCs Leaky Bucket model and NASA SPoRT \nshow widespread below-normal soil moisture encompassing much of the southern \nand central Lower 48 states. Areas of near to above-normal soil moisture were \nconfined largely to the northern tier states. Across a large portion of the \nmountainous West, snow water equivalent (SWE) and related snowpack was way \nbelow-normal (&lt; 50 percent). This area stretched from the lower Four Corners \nregion northwestward to northern California and most of Oregon. \n \nThe April temperature outlook favors increased chances of above-normal \ntemperatures over the southern, central, and interior northwestern CONUS, \ncovering approximately two-thirds of the Lower 48 states. This is largely \nsupported by the dynamical and final consolidation forecasts (NMME-Con and \nFinal-Con, respectively), the CFS, most of the NMME and IMME\/C3S, CAS \n(Constructed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#Analog\">Analog<\/a> on Soil Moisture tool), and historical <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#trend\">trends<\/a>  (OCN tool). \nThis is consistent with widespread drought and below-normal soil moisture \ncurrently over the CONUS, and with below-normal snowpack over much of the \nInterior West. Chances of favored above-normal temperatures exceed 50 percent \nover the Florida Peninsula (with April climatologically being the height of the \ndry season), and exceed 60 percent over the vicinity of Utah. In Alaska, the \nassorted models and tools provide a wide array of solutions, though many showed \nnorthwestern Mainland Alaska to be above-normal. Elsewhere, which includes the \nlarge remainder of Alaska, parts of the Pacific Northwest, north-central CONUS, \nGreat Lakes, Northeast, and Upper Mid-Atlantic, Equal Chances (EC) of above-, \nnear-, and below-normal temperatures are favored. \n \nThe April precipitation outlook favors elevated chances of above-normal \nprecipitation over a broad zone that extends from the eastern Plains and most \nof the Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes region to the Ohio Valley, western \nTennessee, north-central Appalachians, and Upper Mid-Atlantic region. This \npattern of anomalous wetness is depicted by a number of models (to various \ndegrees) including the Statistical Consolidation (Stat-Con), NMME-Con, and \nFinal-Con (the latter being a skill-weighted and calibrated mean of the \nStat-Con and NMME-Con). The uncalibrated NMME, CFS, CanESM5 (one of two \navailable Canadian models), CAS, uncalibrated IMME\/C3S, ECMWF, UKMO (UK Met \nOffice), DWD (German model) and the two NCAR models (NCAR_CESM1 and NCAR_CCSM4) \nalso support reasonable variations on this same general theme. Chances for \ndrier-than-normal conditions are favored across most areas west of the \nContinental Divide, with maximum probabilities exceeding 60 percent over the \nCentral and Southern Great Basin, based on model guidance and precipitation \n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov\/products\/predictions\/90day\/seasglossary.html#trend\">trends<\/a> during the last 15 years as shown by the OCN tool. Low snowpack and \nsignificantly warmer temperatures predicted in late March over the West will \naccelerate snowmelt. Once much of the snowpack melts, the bare ground will heat \nup more quickly, leading to more dryness. Below-normal precipitation is also \nfavored over Florida and southern Georgia, with April typically being the \nheight of the Florida dry season and the greatest risk for wildfires. Even \nthough below-normal precipitation is favored in Florida during April, the \nApril-May-June (AMJ) seasonal precipitation outlook could verify as \nwetter-than-normal, given the transition to the Florida rainy season in late \nMay or early June. In Alaska, above-normal precipitation is slightly favored \nover western portions of the Mainland, based on calibrated and uncalibrated \nversions of the C3S, Meteo_France, ECMWF, CFS, UKMO, CMCC (one of two available \nCanadian models), and the German model (DWD).<\/pre>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>April 2026 Temperature Forecast. | Image: NOAA The NOAA has just released its April 2026 forecast. Below is a summary for skiers and riders, followed by the full text discussion. Check out SnowBrains\u2019 regular snow forecasts. TL;DR: The West is in rough shape for April. Warm temperatures and below-normal precipitation are forecast across the Sierra [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1836767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1836767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1836767\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1836767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1836767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1836767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}