JACKSON, Wyo. – November 2025 was one of the warmest on record across Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho, and mountain snowfall was well below normal. However, we are heading into an active pattern now, with a significant storm cycle for the Tetons late this week.
Recent Weather Pattern
We have ever so gradually started inching toward a winter pattern over the past week. Several rounds of light snow have moved through the region, and colder temperatures have allowed for more snowmaking at the ski resorts. JHMR and Targhee are both scheduled to open later this week.
Snowfall over the past week has ranged from 10-15 inches in the Tetons and 2-5 inches over the lower elevations.
In the town of Jackson, we saw a brief warm-up around Thanksgiving, but then a strong cold front moved through on Friday evening, bringing the first 1+ inch snowfall of the season to town.
For perspective, the average high and low temperatures in Jackson on December 3 are 33º and 13º.
November 2025 Review
This was one of the mildest Novembers on record across the area. Many locations in Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho ended up in the top 3 for warmest Novembers, and some locations even set their all-time record for the warmest November.
Weather data for the town of Jackson prior to 2010 has many large gaps, but this was easily the warmest November since 2010, with temperatures running 8º above normal for the month as a whole.
The warmest temperature of the month was 65º on November 3, and the coldest temperature of the month was 7º on November 25.
This was not a record dry month, but precipitation was well below average. The town of Jackson received only 0.90 inches of precipitation in November compared to the 15-year average of 1.57 inches.
Snowfall in town was also well below average, with only 2.6 inches recorded, compared to an average of 12.2 inches. In fact, Jackson didn’t receive its first measurable snowfall of the month until November 25.
In the Tetons, this was one of the least snowy Novembers on record, dating back to the mid 1970s.
This year was tied with 1999 for the second least snowy November at Grand Targhee, with only 28 inches recorded compared to a November average of 76 inches.
At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s mid-mountain, this was the fourth least snowy November with only 18 inches, compared to an average of 57 inches.
In terms of snow depth (the height of the snow on the ground), values are currently 50-70% of average above 9,000 feet but only 20-60% of average below 9,000 feet.
Upcoming Weather Pattern
Conditions are about to change in a big way for the Tetons as the first major storm cycle of the Tetons is on track for Thursday to Saturday.
A northwest flow pattern will set up with high pressure dominating the pattern over California, while a strong jet stream will set up over the northern and eastern periphery of the ridge, allowing moisture-laden storms to track across the Pacific Northwest into the Northern and Central Rockies.
Snow will begin on Thursday and will continue through Saturday, with snow totals of one to two plus feet expected above 9,000 feet. The northwest flow will especially favor Grand Targhee and the upper portion of JHMR.
The Lower Jackson Hole Valley, especially around town, will not experience an overly impressive event despite the high snow total forecast for the Tetons.
This is because west to northwest winds create a shadow effect east of the Tetons, leading to considerably less snowfall for the valley. The Lower Jackson Hole Valley and Snow King do better with southwest to south winds.
The main round of accumulating snow for the Jackson Hole Valley will occur on Friday night when a stronger wave moves through with strong west/southwest winds developing briefly, which will allow for better spillover east of the Tetons.
Another element of this storm will be temperatures. The storm will start cold but end warm on Friday night and Saturday, with valley highs pushing 40º on Saturday afternoon. As a result, significant valley melting is expected on Saturday.
Looking further out, additional storms are possible from Sunday to Tuesday, but confidence in the details is lower. Temperatures will remain on the warmer side, and rain couldn’t be ruled out in the valley by early next week.
Here is a 7-day snowfall projection from the European Ensemble Model, which represents the average of 50 simulations. Notice the northwest to southeast trajectory from the Pacific Northwest into the Central Rockies.
December Outlook
Meteorological winter has officially arrived, which is defined as the three-month period from December to February (the three coldest months of the year in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere).
December is the second coldest and second snowiest month of the year on average in Jackson, with an average high of 30.2º and an average low of 9.0º.
In the past 15 years, we have seen temperatures as warm as 58º (in 2021) to as low as -23º (in 2016). But temperatures in the 50s are rare at this time of year, whereas subzero temperatures are common.
The town of Jackson averages 1.72 inches of precipitation and 18.9 inches of snowfall in December. The snowiest December in town in the past 15 years was 34.5 inches in 2010, though 2016 also came close with 34.1 inches.
In the Tetons, average snowfall in December is 90 inches at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s Rendezvous Bowl Plot (upper mountain), 73 inches at Jackson Hole Mid-Mountain, and 85 inches at Grand Targhee. Data is courtesy of the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center and BestSnow.net.
The snowiest December on record at the Rendezvous Bowl Plot was an astounding 225 inches in 1996 (also a record for all months), and the snowiest December at Grand Targhee was 193 inches, also in 1996.
For December of 2025, we are anticipating above-normal snowfall and precipitation in the Tetons with an active storm track over the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. However, above-normal temperatures are also expected, which could potentially limit snowfall at times in the valley (due to melting and perhaps occasional rain).
Alan Smith, Meteorologist
