-
The federal government says this is the nation’s warmest winter on record. And a new study shows human-caused climate change was the driver in many cities, including parts of the Mountain West region.
-
The year was 1949. Some skiers and cowboys were at a bar in Leadville, Colorado. Naturally, the conversation went to ‘who’s fastest?’ So they decided to see about it – but as a team. The cowboys pulled the skiers on their horses down Main Street, and that’s how what we know today as ‘skijoring’ began – at least according to the “legend”. Over the years, the sport has gained traction, bringing in lots of money and visitors to small Rocky Mountain communities during winter. But, this all depends on snow, and this year’s unseasonably warm weather has made it tricky.
-
Recent reports from Climate Central show that winter’s coldest and warmest temperatures are on the rise, with some particularly dramatic results seen in cities in our region. But even within that broad trend, extreme cold is still very much a possibility.
-
So far, it’s been a really dry winter across Wyoming, and it could have lasting effects.Much of the state saw snowfall around Thanksgiving, “but outside of that, yeah, not a whole lot going on,” said Aaron Woodward, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Cheyenne.
-
Normally there would be hundreds of antelope this time of year grazing sagebrush and spring grass. But instead, there are piles of dead antelope on top of a blanket of snow. Some are still alive – but barely. This unprecedented wildlife loss in some of the country’s largest antelope and mule deer herds is the result of an incredibly harsh winter in southwest Wyoming. It is expected that as many as 50 percent of the animals will die before summer.
-
Federal officials say many parts of the West continue to see “massive” drought improvements, with some of the most significant changes in the Mountain West.
-
Livestock producers in the Mountain West have been hit hard by this winter’s weather. That’s why Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture for relief.
-
The National Interagency Fire Center's four-month outlook predicts normal wildfire activity through July across most of the Mountain West.
-
Much of the Mountain West has endured a long, harsh winter, and it’s been an especially hard season for deer and other big game. Now, wildlife managers are searching for ways to help herds recover.
-
Agriculture departments from several states in the Mountain West are asking the federal government to consider relief programs for livestock producers hit hard by the weather this winter.