Powder Compass

Atlas · Alberta · AB

Banff Norquay

8,040′ summit · 1,650′ vert · 190 acres · avg 120″/yr

Long shot — Apr 1–15

Delivered 24″+ in 0 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 3 of 20 · typical 13", most land 8"–16"

Before you book

This bet missed 10 of the last 10.

2 of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Banff Norquay · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 10 20 30" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 11" 23" 2021 5" 2024
Nov 16–30 24″+ 0 of 10 · 3 busts Long shot 12" 21" 2015 2" 2018
Dec 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 6 busts Long shot 7" 24" 2008 1" 2017
Dec 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 3 busts Long shot 8" 23" 2019 3" 2010
Jan 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 7 busts Long shot 8" 21" 2014 1" 2023
Jan 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 10 busts Long shot 4" 13" 2011 1" 2025
Feb 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 8" 19" 2018 1" 2026
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 0 of 10 · 6 busts Long shot 7" 18" 2024 2" 2010
Mar 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 12" 27" 2012 3" 2021
Mar 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 6 busts Long shot 10" 22" 2014 4" 2019
Apr 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 13" 33" 2012 3" 2016
Apr 16–30 24″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 11" 28" 2010 4" 2020

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

Banff's town hill — small, steep in spots (the North American chair's bump runs are stout), with hourly tickets and night skiing. A half-day mountain with a big view.

Ten minutes from Banff town — the arrival-day or storm-recovery option on a SkiBig3 trip. Never crowded, and the tubing park handles the family hours.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Banff Norquay's odds move on the Apr 1–15 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.