As millions of skiers and riders prepare to head to the slopes this winter, AccuWeather's long-range experts say some areas of the country will experience better ski conditions than others.

AccuWeather's long-range forecast for the 2025-2026 ski season in the United States predicts a 'bookend' pattern, with strong early and late season conditions and a quieter period in the middle. The Upper Midwest is expected to experience persistent cold and snow, while the eastern US will benefit from an active storm track early in the season, allowing resorts to build a solid base.

The Northwest is forecast to have the best ski conditions due to frequent storms and continuous moisture, especially in the early and middle parts of the season. In contrast, some western areas, including California and the Southwest, may face poor ski conditions at times due to drought, warmth, and a northerly storm track.

2025-2026 ski season forecast

With multiple resorts open and the backcountry in play, ski season is here. AccuWeather's long-range experts say this winter will be a bookend season for much of the country. Strong early and late, with a quieter stretch in between. Some areas of the United States are expected to see more favorable conditions for snowfall than others, such as the Upper Midwest, where persistent cold and snow are forecast for this winter. Whether you're not, you're all the time in that pattern of constant snow events. Outside of that, you're going to be cold enough to produce more snow and keep the snow that you already have. In the east, a favorable and active storm track will get the season started off on a strong note, allowing resorts to build a solid base in December. Pasolok says there could be a break in the storms in January before the storm track picks back up later in the month and into February. We could have a busy, active season where there's snow and it's piling up, it's freshening up those ski slopes and deepening that base that we want to see, and that could last into March. For those looking to ski the best conditions in the country, you may want to head to the northwest, where Pasolok says an active storm track will deliver the goods, especially in the early and middle part of the season. We're seeing continuous moisture coming in. The setup in the Pacific and also the strong jet stream coming across the northern Pacific is going to send lots of systems in and really get kick-started the season in the northwest and northern Rockies. There are some areas of the west that could see poor conditions at times this winter, including mountains in California and the southwest. Pasolok says this is due to a mixture of drought, warmth, and a northerly storm track. Reporting for AccuWeather, I'm Lincoln Riddle.

U.S. House Democrats on Wednesday released emails from Jeffrey Epstein referencing President Donald Trump, who has denied any knowledge of the convicted sex offender's crimes. In a 2019 email, Epstein said Trump "knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop."

Washington

New emails from Epstein mentioning Trump released by House Democrats

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz was arraigned on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to allegations of taking bribes to rig pitches. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Brooklyn

Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz arraigned, pleads not guilty

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on a spending bill that passed in the Senate earlier this week and could bring the longest government shutdown to an end.

House to vote on funding bill that could reopen government

The USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group has moved into the Latin America region, U.S. officials say, dramatically escalating a military buildup that has deepened tensions with Venezuela.

Caracas

Largest U.S. aircraft carrier sailing to Latin America region

U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog urging him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. CBS News' Courtney Kealy has more.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Trump urges Israel's president to pardon Benjamin Netanyahu

Three astronauts remain stuck in space after their return capsule was damaged by orbital debris—delaying their journey home.

Beijing

Three Chinese astronauts stranded in space after capsule damage

The former first lady of Gabon and her son were being tried in absentia on various corruption charges.

Libreville

Gabon ex-first lady sentenced to 20 years in jail for embezzlement

Online platforms will ping Australian teenagers through over a million accounts in coming days offering a choice: download data, freeze profiles or lose the lot when a world-first ban on kids using social media starts on December 10. TikTok, Snapchat, Meta, Instagram and Threads are poised to deactivate accounts registered by users under 16, according to insiders.

Council of the City of Sydney

Big Tech starts complying with Australia's teen social media ban

Protesters stormed the COP30 climate conference in Brazil, clashing with security and overshadowing discussions earlier in the day California Gov. Gavin Newsom slamming America’s current stance on climate change.

Belém

Protesters storm into COP30 climate conference in Brazil

ByHeart is recalling all batches of its baby formula products after at least 15 infants were sickened. Dr. Steven Abrams, professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin, joins CBS News to discuss how parents can keep their children safe.

New York

ByHeart recalls baby formula amid growing botulism outbreak

Israel’s parliament has passed the first reading of a bill that would introduce the death penalty for “terrorism”.

Jerusalem

Israel parliament passes first reading of death penalty for ‘terrorism’ law

The super typhoon has left devastation in the Philippines just days after another typhoon killed 232 people.

Cebu City

Typhoon Fung-wong leaves Philippines with ten dead, millions displaced

A Turkish C-130 military cargo plane with at least 20 personnel on board crashed in Georgia after taking off from Azerbaijan. Authorities reported an unspecified number of casualties and said rescue workers were headed to the site.

Sighnaghi Municipality

Turkish military plane crashes in Georgia

A car bomb rocked Islamabad, Pakistan resulting in 12 deaths and 27 injuries, just one day after a car exploded in New Delhi, India. Authorities in both countries are investigating the incidents as possible terrorist attacks.

Islamabad

Bomb rocks Pakistan's capital one day after car explosion in India

Drone strikes were reported in several Ukrainian cities, as fighting rages on the frontline with Russian forces closing in on the key city of Pokrovsk.

Odesa

Ukraine Invasion

Russian drones hit energy sites in Ukraine's Odesa

Local television channels report that at least 20 people have been wounded in blast near the Lal Quila underground metro station.

New Delhi

Indian police invoke ‘terrorism’ law after Delhi blast kills nine

The Senate passed a bill on Monday night to end the government shutdown, bringing Congress one step closer to ending the impasse. CBS News political reporter Hunter Woodall has the latest.

Senate passes bill to end shutdown, sending it to house

The COP30 climate conference kicked off in Belém, Brazil, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pushing back against climate deniers even though a discussion of reduced reliance on fossil fuels isn’t on the agenda.

Brazil’s president pushes back against climate deniers to start COP30

President Trump met with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa at the White House as ties between the U.S. and Syria appear to strengthen. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab reports.

Syria will join coalition against ISIS following meeting with Trump

A deadly car explosion in Delhi, India, killed at least eight people and injured at least 19 others on Monday, police said. Devina Gupta of the BBC, a CBS News partner, has more.

Deadly car explosion rocks India's New Delhi, eight killed

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to be released from prison after serving 3 weeks of a 5-year sentence for criminal conspiracy.

Paris

Ex-French President Sarkozy released from prison

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is set to meet with President Trump at the White House after leading a surprise attack that toppled the Assad regime. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meeting Trump at White House

Super Typhoon Fung-wong slammed into the Philippines, bringing dangerous conditions to the country for the second time in a matter of days. CBS News' Anna Coren reports.

Manila

Super Typhoon Fung-wong batters the Philippines

Senate Republicans and some Democrats appear to have a plan to end the government shutdown. CBS News' Natalie Brand reports.

Democrats, Republicans reach deal that may end government shutdown

The director-general of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has resigned after a row over the editing of a speech made by U.S. President Donald Trump on the day of the 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.

London

BBC boss Tim Davie resigns after criticism over Trump speech edit

A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, the AI-powered fighter YFQ-44A has begun flight testing, as General Atomics takes to the sky as well.

California

Anduril's unmanned AI-powered fighter jet 'Fury' makes first flight

The U.S. Senate is voting on a bill to fund and reopen the government. Earlier Sunday, the Trump administration ordered states to "undo" SNAP benefits payments amid the funding halt.

Trump admin orders states to 'undo' SNAP payments ahead of Senate vote

Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinian villagers, activists and journalists on Saturday (November 8) who had gathered during an attempt to harvest olives near a settler outpost in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, witnesses said. Two Reuters employees were among those injured in the attack by the men who wielded sticks and clubs, and hurled large rocks at them.

Israeli settlers attack Palestinians, journalists in West Bank

Ukrainian energy companies reported a complete power outage after two thermal power plants supplying the Kyiv and Kharkiv were struck overnight by Russia. Officials in Kyiv also shared that their forces carried out strikes targeting the Kremlin's energy sector, which it says funds the invasion.

Kyiv

Ukraine and Russia trade overnight strikes on energy facilities

A tragic Saturday in Tenerife left three people dead and at least 15 injured as exceptionally high waves gripped the Canary archipelago. Officials are reporting waves that can reach as high as four metres.

Breakdown