snowpack

The majority of the state is either abnormally dry, or in moderate or severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Snowpack is often described as the West’s largest natural reservoir, storing water through the winter and slowly releasing it into rivers and reservoirs each spring. But new research suggests the way forests are managed can influence how much of that snow actually becomes part of the water supply.

And that has a broad impact—from tourism to drought to allergies

In its latest quarterly earnings report, Vail Resorts said North America skier visits were down roughly 12% through the beginning of March compared to last year, and revenue fell about 5% for the quarter.

Colorado's state climatologist said long-range forecasts are also not signaling a 'Miracle March.'

A new report finds 2025 brought widespread drought, massive wildfires and destructive windstorms across several Mountain West states — and underscores how closely connected those disasters have become.

Declining snowpack is creating new challenges for irrigation, livestock, and traditional food systems in tribal communities

The Fetcher ranch in northwest Colorado is on the frontlines this year of record-low snowpack across the West. It's adding a sense of urgency among seven states to finalize a plan for how to conserve the dwindling Colorado River.

At less than 140,000 square miles, snow cover across the region was the lowest ever recorded on February 1 in the satellite record, which goes back to 2001. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) call it the “worst snowpack on record.”

Cold temperatures have settled over much of the Mountain West this winter, but precipitation has been harder to come by, leaving large parts of the region unusually dry for late January.