Recap of a mild, wet, snowy February and a look-ahead to March

JACKSON, Wyo. – February has been a very active month with above-average snowfall and precipitation in the Tetons and in the Jackson Hole Valley. However, temperatures have also been above average with several rain events occurring in the valley this month.

Recent Weather

We saw a brief break in the weather pattern last Friday and Saturday with partial clearing and warmer temperatures.

A storm with subtropical origins impacted the area on Sunday and Monday with snow in the Tetons and rain in the valley.

Areas above 8,000 feet in the Tetons, including Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee, picked up 8-12 inches of dense snow during the Sunday-Monday storm while the town of Jackson received 0.35 inches of rain.

A cold front moved through on Tuesday morning with a shorter-lived round of snow showers moving through, producing 2-3 inches in the Tetons and a trace in the valley.

The bigger story on Tuesday was the wind, as we saw peak wind gusts of 68 mph at the top of the tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and 52 mph at the Jackson Hole Airport.

Preliminary February Recap

February has delivered once again in the Tetons with frequent heavy snowfall, while the valley has seen everything from heavy snow to heavy rain to receding snowpack, and everything in between.

First, let’s start with the Tetons…

Snow totals across the higher terrain this month include 146 inches at Jackson Hole’s Raymer Plot (9,360 feet), 138 inches at Jackson Hole’s Rendezvous Bowl Plot (9,580 feet), 110 inches at Jackson Hole’s Mid-Mountain Plot (8,180 feet), and 122 inches at Grand Targhee (8,800 feet).

The 138 inches recorded at Rendezvous Bowl Plot is more than double what fell in January (58 inches). This is also well above the long-term February average of 75 inches.

This February ranks as the fourth snowiest of all time at the Rendezvous Bowl Plot, dating back to 1975.

Top 5 Snowiest February at Jackson Hole’s Rendezvous Bowl Plot

193 inches (2019)
171 inches (2021)
148 inches (2017)
138 inches (2025)
133 inches (2014)

This year is just another example of our recent trend toward snowier February’s compared to the past – a very noticeable signal during the past 15 years.

Snowfall averages at the Rendezvous Bowl Plot from 2011 to 2025 versus 1975 to 2020 are virtually unchanged in most months… except for February.

From 1975 to 2010, the February snowfall average at this location was 66 inches. But from 2011 to 2025, the February snowfall average is 99 inches… a 50% increase!

I really don’t know what has caused February to trend snowier in the Tetons, especially when other months have not seen any noticeable changes. It is certainly interesting, though.

In terms of snowpack, the Snake River Headwaters Basin which includes the Tetons is 110% of average, meaning we have a healthy snowpack heading into March…

The town of Jackson has received 30.8 inches of snow this month which is above its 15-year average of 18.1 inches. This is impressive considering the number of rain events that occurred in town this month.

The town of Jackson received a total of 3.98 inches of precipitation (rain and liquid equivalent snow), which is well above the February average of 1.70 inches and is also the wettest February since 2017 when a remarkable 5.75 inches of precipitation fell in town.

In the mountains, snow water equivalent totals this month have also been substantial, with 15.06 inches measured at the Raymer Plot and 13.47 inches measured at the Rendezvous Bowl Plot.

In terms of temperature, we still have two days left to go in the month, but as of right now, temperatures are running 4.7 degrees above normal in the town of Jackson for February. This will end up being the warmest February in town since 2017 (which was also a very wet month).

The average high this February is 35.5ºF and the average low is 17.1º compared to a 15-year (2010-2024) average high and low of 32.3º and 11.0ºF.

The warmest temperature this month was 54ºF which occurred on February 4, and the coldest temperature this month was -17ºF which occurred on February 13.

Upcoming Weather Pattern

Dry and sunny conditions will prevail from Wednesday (February 26) to Sunday (March 2) as a ridge of high pressure sets up over Western North America. This will be our first significant stretch of clear weather since January.

In the valley, we are going to see a freeze/thaw cycle with lows dipping into the single digits to teens on most mornings, while highs will reach the 40s each afternoon.

The mountains will also see warm temperatures with highs in the upper 30s to low 40s at 9,000 feet each day with an early taste of spring skiing conditions expected.

Despite heavy snowfall in February, warm temperatures and multiple rain events led to significant snowmelt in town. As of February 26, the official snow depth in town is only 6 inches, which is the lowest for this date since 2018.

Early next week, cooler air and cloud cover will begin to work its way back into the area as a storm moves into the Western U.S. with snow likely in the Monday to Tuesday timeframe.

March 2025 Outlook

March is when we typically start to see the first signs of spring in terms of milder temperatures and a changing snowpack. But winter can still bring it during March, especially across the higher terrain and occasionally in the valley as well.

For this upcoming March, signals are pointing to near-average temperatures (snowpack will continue to melt away in town), but I’m leaning toward snowfall and precipitation being above-average as the medium to long range pattern looks to favor “troughing” in the Gulf of Alaska and Western North America which would favor relatively frequent storms.

Here are some March stats from the previous 15 years…

March Stats in the Town of Jackson (2010-2024):

Average High: 42.2ºF

Average Low: 18.8ºF

Average Temp: 30.5ºF

Average Precipitation: 1.67 inches

Average Snowfall: 13.7 inches

March Extremes in the Town of Jackson (2010-2024):

Warmest Month: 38.2ºF (2017)

Coldest Month: 21.3ºF (2023)

Wettest Month: 3.57 inches (2024)

Snowiest Month: 34.5 inches (2024)