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Cape Smokey ski resort
Indy PassBuy pass
Tier B — Favored

📷 Cape Smokey

North America

Cape Smokey

Off-season

Closed for the season · reopens Dec 6

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 28, 10:02 AM UTC · informational only

Off-season

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

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Past 24 Hours

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14-Day Forecast

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Snow Depth

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Updated: Aug 28, 10:02 AM•Weather at base: 15m

Overview

Cape Smokey is a ski resort in North America, Canada, currently closed for the season (Closed for the season · reopens Dec 6). Conditions last updated 2026-08-28 10:02 UTC.

Resort Guide

Cape Smokey is located in Ingonish, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island, offering Atlantic Canada’s only gondola-accessed ski terrain. The resort features a variety of trails suitable for all skill levels, panoramic ocean and mountain views, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Key amenities include a modern gondola, equipment rentals, a ski school, and a scenic summit lodge, making it a unique destination for both skiing and year-round sightseeing. Cape Smokey stands out for its coastal setting and the opportunity to experience skiing with views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Resort Info

Summit320m
Base15m
Vertical305m
Lifts3
Runs16
Skiable Area100 acres
Average snowfall150 inches / 381 cm
CountryCanada
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Projected openingDecember 6, 2026

Future dates are operator estimates and may change.

Ski passes

Indy Pass

Buy pass →

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

The Gondola – Located at the base of Cape Smokey, The Gondola is celebrated for its cozy atmosphere, panoramic views of the Atlantic, and welcoming après-ski environment featuring local craft beers and live music events.

Snow Summary

320mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 28, 2026 at 10:02 AM

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14-Day Forecast
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Prev10d
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Now28
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S29
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S30
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M31
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T3
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Today
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Snowfall Forecast Maps

Eastern Canada region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 28, 10:02 AM UTC

Base

15m

Temp

18.1°C

Wind

16.6km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

Mid-Mountain

168m

Temp

--°C

Wind

18km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

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Summit

320m

Temp

16.1°C

Wind

16.6km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

0cm

El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Cape Smokey El Niño rank & forecast

Cape Smokey ranks #158 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier B, +4% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier B — Favored: Modest El Niño upside (+3% to +8% vs normal). Often a solid pick, without the biggest Andes-style swings.

#158 of 488Tier B — Favored

Strong-event signal: +4% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Cape Smokey averaged +4% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically leaned mildly in this resort's favor for winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 +4%, '15-16 -8%, '23-24 +17%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 +4%'15-16 −9%'23-24 +17%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Cape Smokey Webcam

All Webcams

Cape Smokey / Skaping

1 webcam • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Cape Smokey (rockies), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 28, 10:02 AM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
24 / 15
Sat, Aug 29
22 / 141.5mm
Sun, Aug 30
21 / 140.3mm
Mon, Aug 31
19 / 140.6mm
Tue, Sep 1
18 / 121.8mm
Wed, Sep 2
16 / 90.6mm
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)000000000000000000
Precip (mm)0000.210.3000.30.200.401.50.300.50.1
Temp (°C)182318202117172115161815161713121613
Wind (km/h)16161571514141813131915811114115
Gusts (km/h)343530173528303827274137332831213026

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (320m)

ECMWF
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GFS
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GEM
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JMA
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ICON
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Météo-Fr
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SnowSure™
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10-Day Forecast

Today

28

☁️

23.6°

15.3°

18 km/h

Sat

29

🌧️

22°

13.9°

19 km/h

Sun

30

🌧️

21.1°

13.5°

18 km/h

Mon

31

🌧️

18.6°

13.7°

22 km/h

Tue

1

🌧️

18.1°

12.1°

17 km/h

Wed

2

🌧️

15.9°

9.4°

12 km/h

Thu

3

🌧️

16.6°

14.3°

33 km/h

Fri

4

🌧️

15.2°

13.6°

33 km/h

Sat

5

🌤️

16.4°

10.8°

21 km/h

Sun

6

🌧️

13.9°

10.3°

10 km/h

Summit elevation (320m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

No bulletin for this mountain

Avalanche Canada

This resort lies outside every forecast zone published by its national warning service, so no bulletin covers it.

Read the official bulletin ↗

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 28, 10:02 AM UTC

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Season Total

This Season to Date

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vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 305cm full-season avg

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vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 294cm full-season avg

305cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~344.7 cm. That's 13% above the 5-year average (305 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 17% above the 30-year average (294 cm).

Cape Smokey Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 317cm with an average of 111 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November21.6cm11 days2cm9cm7.4cm
December61.4cm21 days15cm30cm16.2cm
January69.1cm24 days37cm53cm15.8cm
February65.2cm20 days61cm77cm17.4cm
March53.9cm18 days67cm81cm15.4cm
April35.2cm12 days50cm72cm12.8cm
May5.6cm3 days9cm33cm4.9cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Dec 6, 2026

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Cape Smokey, ERA5 season snowfall median was 310 cm (122 in), about 2% above this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

310 cm

10 El Niño winters · 2% above median

All-season median

303 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10310 cm288 cm – 362 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12294 cm251 cm – 355 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8322 cm293 cm – 389 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Cape Smokey

Where is Cape Smokey?
Cape Smokey is a ski resort in Canada.
How high is Cape Smokey?
Cape Smokey runs from a base elevation of 15 m (49 ft) to a summit of 320 m (1,050 ft), giving a vertical drop of 305 m (1,001 ft).
How big is Cape Smokey?
Cape Smokey has 100 acres (40 hectares) of skiable terrain, 16 marked runs and 3 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Cape Smokey?
Cape Smokey is on the Indy Pass. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
How much snow does Cape Smokey get in a typical season?
Cape Smokey averages 150 inches / 381 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Cape Smokey in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #158 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier B · strong-event signal +4% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Cape Smokey averaged +4% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically leaned mildly in this resort's favor for winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 +4%, '15-16 -8%, '23-24 +17%. A pattern, not a promise.