Atmospheric River Brings Heavy Snow to British Columbia

US & Canada Daily Snow

Heads up, there may be fresher snow! Read the latest US & Canada Daily Snow

By Zach Butler, Meteorologist Posted 5 months ago October 27, 2025

Summary

Snowfall will clear across the Western US, with warmer and drier weather moving in. This is due to a strong Pacific storm track that will primarily impact Alaska, BC, and Alberta with several atmospheric rivers, bringing 2-4+ feet of snow. A few areas of snow will affect the US-Canada border, with mostly rain for the PNW. The Northeast US will see a Nor'easter by the end of the week with rain.

Short Term Forecast

Winter will continue in full force across British Columbia and Alberta in this forecast due to a significantly strong early-season Pacific storm track with several atmospheric rivers (ARs). These ARs will be on the colder side as well, which will keep snow levels relatively low for this time of year, around 5,000 feet. Several feet of snow are likely through BC and Alberta. The Pacific Northwest of the US will see AR moisture as well, but snow levels will be higher with light snow for the higher elevations.

View → Total Snow Forecast Map

Check out our snow forecast and snow level range chart for Whistler, with most models projecting 10-30 inches of snow (OS Blend = 17 inches) at mid-mountain.

Forecast for Mon (Oct 27) to Mon Night:

Several storm systems will continue to affect the Northwest and the Rockies to start the last week of October. Both storm systems will be weakening, bringing minimal to light snow accumulations. Most precipitation will occur during the first half of Monday, with clearing during the afternoon and evening, a sign of things to come across the Rockies for the remainder of the week.

Forecast for Tue (Oct 28) to Tue Night:

The storm systems will move out of the Western US on Tuesday, and the Pacific storm track will set its eyes on British Columbia. A rapidly strengthening storm system with a powerful atmospheric river will bring heavy precipitation from Alaska to BC. This storm will bring strong winds as well, with snow accumulations on Tuesday of 10-20+ inches for elevations above 4,000 feet.

Forecast for Wed (Oct 29) to Wed Night:

The storm system in British Columbia will continue to bring heavy precipitation on Wednesday and extend into Alberta as well. A few areas of snow will also impact the northern Pacific Northwest along the US-Canada border. Snow levels will be significantly higher in the US due to warm air on the south side of the storm system. A few areas of rain will affect other areas of the PNW.

Looking to the East Coast of the US and Canada, a coastal storm system will begin to develop across the Southeast with widespread rain moving into the Mid-Atlantic.

Forecast for Thu (Oct 30) to Thu Night:

On Thursday, quieter weather will prevail across the Northwest due to a strong storm system well to the north in Alaska. This storm will still send a few areas of snow into British Columbia, but snow levels will rise with minimal to light snow accumulations expected.

The coastal storm, or Nor'easter, in the Eastern US will bring widespread rain. There is a small chance of backside cold air pulling down from Canada that could bring the first flakes of the season to higher elevations in the Eastern US and Canada.

Forecast for Fri (Oct 31) to Fri Night:

The next Pacific storm will set its eyes on British Columbia and Alberta on Halloween for what will be a spooky storm. Another strong atmospheric river will accompany this storm system with heavy snowfall just north of the US-Canada border. The PNW of the US will see impacts from this storm, but it will just be rain for most elevations, due to warm air on the south side of the storm and AR.

The storm on the East Coast will lift northeast and bring more chances of a few snowflakes to the higher terrain.

Forecast for Sat (Nov 1) to Sat Night:

The British Columbia and Alberta storm will continue to bring significant snowfall, leading to 5-day snow totals of 2-4+ feet for elevations greater than 5,000 feet. There will be a significant elevation dependence for snow accumulations across the provinces. A few snow showers could affect other areas of the PNW and northern Rockies, but will likely have minimal impacts.

The Eastern storm will lift out of the US and Canada with cold northwestly flow, a clear sign of fall in the region with winter on its way!

Extended Forecast

Outlook for Sun (Nov 2) to Fri (Nov 7):

The extended forecast will continue what the short-term forecast has featured, which is an active Pacific storm track through Alaska into Western Canada and colder air with storm systems across the Northeast US. The jet stream across the Pacific Ocean will not waver and continue to send storms into Alaska, British Columbia, and Alberta. These storms will likely have strong atmospheric rivers and bring more significant snowfall to the higher elevations.

The biggest area of uncertainty this far is temperatures, which could warm up and raise snow levels compared to the current week. This storm track will bring lighter impacts to the PNW of the US, and with mostly rain due to cold air to the north in Canada.

In the Northeast of the US, cold northwestly flow will bring several storm systems with mostly rain. A few snowflakes are possible for higher elevations with this weather pattern, and maybe the first lake-effect rain/snow developing off the Great Lakes.