With the end of the semester around the corner, many ASU students are looking forward to a snow season that could be better than average because of the El Niño.

Parts of southern Arizona, California and New Mexico may get more snowfall this year because of the El Niño, a periodic change in temperature in parts of the Pacific Ocean, said Paul Iniguez, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

“When we have an El Niño year, we tend to see more precipitation [in the Southwestern U.S.] than usual,” he said.

ASU students and clubs, like Snow Devils, are planning trips to hit the slopes over winter break in Telluride, Colo., and Taos, N.M., said Andres Monge, kinesiology junior and co-president of Snow Devils.

Snowboarding provides not only an adrenaline rush but an escape from reality, he said.

“When you’re snowboarding or skiing … all your outside problems like work or school [can be forgotten],” Monge said. “It’s just you and the mountain.”

Though injuries like broken bones are common in snow sports, Monge said it’s worth it to get up and keep going.

“If you’re attracted to [a sport] and get injured, you’re going to get right back up once you’re done recovering,” he said. “You’re going to get right back on your board or your skis.”

But students unable to go out of state to practice their sport, or just play in the snow, can look closer to home.

Arizona has ski and snowboarding resort Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff and Sunrise Park Resort in the White Mountains.

An average of 140,000 to 180,000 visitors flock to Sunrise each winter, said Myra Wagner, marketing director for the resort.

Though there have been a few snow storms through the White Mountains so far this season, there is not enough snow yet for Sunrise to open, Wagner said.

“We’re just waiting for that one big storm,” she said.

People who have never snowboarded or skied but would like to learn can take lessons at Sunrise and start on the bunny slope, Wagner said.

And for students low on cash, there also special deals.

“We have some midweek specials — on Tuesdays we’re doing buy-one-get-one-half-price on adult tickets,” Wagner said. “And on Thursdays, ladies get $10 off lift tickets.”

Plant biology freshman Ian Tyler Brooks said he’s anxious to test out Arizona’s slopes after moving here from Idaho this fall.

“I’ve snowboarded for eight years, and I can’t wait to get back out,” he said.

Reach the reporter at kkfrost@asu.edu