JACKSON, Wyo. – March 2026 was the warmest March on record in Teton County and across most of the Western U.S. During the first few days of April, winter returned briefly as heavy snow fell in the Tetons. Warm temperatures have returned this week, but cooler and wetter conditions are expected from this weekend into next week.
Recent Weather Pattern
Following two weeks of dry weather and record warm temperatures, a brief but sharp return to winter occurred during the first few days of April, as an impressive storm cycle delivered heavy snowfall to the Tetons.
From March 31 to April 3, the higher elevations of the Tetons picked up about 2 feet of snowfall. The lower elevations saw periods of rain in this pattern, but toward the end of the cycle, snow levels dipped to the valley floor, and Jackson picked up 2.5 inches of snow.
Conditions cleared out on Friday and Saturday in the wake of the storm, and the fresh lower-elevation snowfall quickly disappeared.
Temperatures also warmed back up with highs in the 60s in the valley from Sunday to Wednesday, which is not record-setting like what we saw in March, but still well above average.
Here is the 7-day weather summary for the town of Jackson:
For perspective, the average high and low temperatures in Jackson on April 8 are 49º and 25º.
March 2026 Review:
This March was one for the record books as spring came early to Jackson Hole. An anomalously strong ridge of high pressure set up over the Western U.S. during the second half of the month. In fact, the strength of this high-pressure ridge was more than 3 standard deviations above normal for this time of year.
Underneath the high-pressure ridge, anomalous warmth built across the Western U.S., and all-time monthly temperature records were shattered throughout Wyoming and the Western U.S.
The town of Jackson recorded its highest March temperature on record with a high of 71ºF on March 20 at the long-term climate station, and a high of 72ºF at the JKNW4 weather station. Jackson also recorded its earliest 70-degree temperature on record by almost 2 weeks.
For the month as a whole, this also ended up being the warmest March on record in Jackson (and across much of the West), with over 100 years of data locally and 132 years of data nationwide. Temperatures in Jackson were more than 11 degrees above average in March.
The map below shows U.S. counties with areas in dark red indicating counties that had their warmest March on record. Areas in orange had a warm March that was in the top 10 percentile.
One other amazing stat locally is that March 2026 was warmer than any of the previous nine Aprils in Jackson. This is remarkable considering that on average, April is 8.2ºF warmer than March in Jackson.
March 2026 was also dry across our region, as no precipitation was received between March 17 and 30. However, it was not the driest or least snowy on record, as both 2021 and 2022 were drier than March 2026 (as were many other past years).
Still, the town of Jackson only received 0.68 inches of precipitation in March, which is only 39% of average. Jackson also received only 2.8 inches of snowfall, compared to an average of 14.3 inches.
Snowfall in the Tetons was only 20-50% of average in March. These were not record low values either, as 2021, 2015, 2007, 1994, and 1992 all had similar or slightly lower snowfall totals in March.
The Rendezvous Bowl Plot received 33 inches of snowfall in March, which is below its March average of 67 inches (data courtesy of the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center), while the Raymer Plot received 37 inches.
Grand Targhee received 28 inches of snowfall in March, which is below its March average of 74 inches (data courtesy of bestsnow.net).
The chart below shows March snowfall, season snowfall through April 8th, and April 8th snow depth. Note that the two feet of mid to high elevation snowfall in early April helped these numbers somewhat (even if temporarily), compared to how they would have looked at the end of March.
Despite the early April snowfall, the dry conditions and anomalous warmth in March have led to a much earlier melt-out than usual.
Valley locations with long records of snowpack, including Teton Village, Moose, and Moran, all had their earliest melt-out dates on record. Also, snowpack in the higher elevations of the Tetons reached its peak about a month earlier than average (during the second week of March, instead of the second week of April).
Currently, snowpack above 9,000 feet is about 75% of average, while snowpack at 8,000 feet is only 50-60% of average and near record low levels for the date. Low elevation snow depth measurements have been at zero for a while now.
The snowpack situation is even more dire across other parts of the Western U.S. Most mountain regions in California, Utah, and Colorado currently have their lowest snowpack on record for early April, and many ski resorts have had to close early this year.
Upcoming Weather Pattern
Warm weather has returned to Jackson Hole this week, and we will hang onto this pattern for a couple of more days, though cloud cover will increase toward the end of the week and we could even see some isolated to scattered showers enter the picture by Friday afternoon.
Over the weekend, the pattern will begin to change more noticeably as a slow-moving trough of low pressure approaches from the west. This will result in scattered showers each day from Saturday to Monday with temperatures trending progressively cooler.
Saturday will still be mild in the warmer sector of this system with highs in the low 60s in the valley, while snow levels will start out as high as 9,000 to 10,000 feet.
On Sunday, highs will be in the 50s in the valley and snow levels will start to come down.
On Monday, highs may not get out of the 40s in the valley, and there is also a chance we coul see snow levels briefly dip to the valley floor on Monday morning.
The rest of next week looks unsettled as well with additional shower chances expected as another low pressure system approaches the area by mid-week. Temperatures are projected to be cooler, or at least near average, as well. Average highs in mid-April are in the low 50s for perspective.
The mid to higher elevations of the Tetons should pick up some snow in this pattern as well. There may not be any single big events like what we saw from April 1-3, rather the pattern looks to favor frequent light snow events up high.
April Outlook
April is a swing season month in Jackson, or maybe better said, an “off season” month as ski season winds down, but summer recreation is not quite ready yet (well, that may not be entirely true this year!).
Frequent spells of cool and unsettled weather tend to define our April climate, interspersed with occasional warm and sunny spells. But at the same time, brief spells of winter weather are also common.
In the past 16 years, we have seen temperatures as high as 76ºF (in 2012) to as low as 1ºF (in 2022) in the month of April.
The town of Jackson averages 1.60 inches of precipitation in April, and we tend to see periods of both rain and snow (including non-accumulating snow) at this time of year.
The town of Jackson averages 5.6 inches of snowfall in the month of April, and new snow accumulations at this time of year tend to melt off quickly. Heavy snowfall is uncommon in the valley at this time of year, but in 2022, we did receive 17.2 inches of snowfall in town.
In the Tetons, we only have about 20 years of April snowfall data (compared to 50 years for the core winter months), but the Rendezvous Bowl Plot at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort averages 58 inches of snowfall during the month of April, and the mid-mountain plot averages 37 inches.
The snowiest April on record at the Rendezvous Bowl Plot was 126 inches in 2011, and the least snowy on record was 17 inches in 2021.
For April of 2026, we are already off to a somewhat warm and somewhat wet/snowy start through the first 8 days of the month. For the month as a whole, we will likely see more of the same, but with alternating weather patterns as is typical at this time of year.
Overall, April 2026 is projected to be warmer than average but not to the extent of what we saw in March (in terms of anomalies). Precipitation will likely end up above average given the outlook over the next couple of weeks, while snowfall will likely end up close to average. Snowpack, of course, will still remain well below average.
Alan Smith, Meteorologist
