Snow Is Scarce in the Upper Colorado Basin | Elegant Figures

The through line for the western United States so far in the 2026 water year is simple: there's very little snow. With few exceptions, the mountains of the U.S. West have seen unusually little snow accumulation since October 2025, constituting a widespread snow drought. The lack of mountain snowpack has resource managers on alert going into the warmer months. Meager meltwater can affect hydropower production, agriculture, aquatic ecosystems, and wildland fire risk.