Record snow, or a ski resort no show. A tale of two winters.
The U.S. is seeing two different winters.
So far this season, millions in the Northeast have endured rounds of frigid temperatures and mounds of snow. But a different winter has played out across much of the West. High temperatures and a lack of snow have been feeding a drought there, impacting ski resorts and fueling water shortage concerns.
Between October 2025 and February 2026, the area of the continental U.S. that received less snow than usual far outweighed the area that got more, according to a USA TODAY analysis of snow records. For every square mile with a snow surplus, three were in deficit, the analysis found, comparing this season's snowfall accumulation against the average of seasonal totals from the 2008-09 winter through 2024-25.
Among the places that recorded a surplus is New York City, with 182% of its historical average. During a storm in February, Central Park recorded 19.7 inches of snow. That's among the top 10 single largest snowstorm dumps in the park's history, USA TODAY reported earlier.
Another place with a large surplus is Charlotte, North Carolina, with 357% of their average. Earlier in the winter, blizzard conditions in the Carolinas caused fatal road collisions.
The rounds of storms across the East disrupted flights, closed schools, and left many without power.
On the other hand, places with a deficit compared to their historical average include Denver at 32% and Salt Lake City at 19%.
The mountains in Washington had the maximum accumulation by far, reaching an estimated 664 inches — that is, over 55 feet. Montana is a distant second at 373 inches, closely followed by California at 372 inches. Despite this, snowpacks across the West are below normal.
While the mountain states take the top rankings, every state in the contiguous U.S. has recorded snow so far this season, according to the NOAA dataset. For example, parts of Florida and Alabama received about 1 inch, while parts of Louisiana received an estimated 4 inches.
To check snowfall accumulation over the past 24, 48, and 72 hours near you, explore the USA TODAY map below.