A growing snow drought across the Western United States is reshaping winter as people know it, disrupting local economies, straining water supplies, and raising concerns about what comes next, CNN reported.
In Utah and Colorado, this snow drought — influenced by record-hot winter temperatures — is part of a broader pattern tied to rising global temperatures, according to experts.
Scientists emphasize that although unusual winter weather can happen in any year, long-term warming driven by human activity is increasing the frequency and severity of snow droughts across western regions.
What's happening?
Observing stations show "record to near-record low levels" of snow in the Colorado Rockies — the lowest recordings since these stations were first installed in 1980 to 1981, per Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher.
"There's not really anywhere in Colorado that's doing really well," Schumacher said. He added that the region is experiencing not just poor snowfall but also one of the warmest winters on record. "You can't not notice when December feels like March."
Why is snow drought concerning?
Snow droughts can ripple far beyond winter recreation. In the West, poor snow conditions can impact the region's summer water supplies and deepen the decades-long Western "Megadrought," considered the region's driest in 1,200 years, according to a University of California, Los Angeles, report on a study led by UCLA.
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Rising temperatures also mean that what little snowfall the region receives will melt quickly. This could affect not just people but also the region's ecosystems. Reduced snowpack threatens drinking water supplies and impacts communities already struggling with shortages, agricultural production, and hydropower generation.
Worsening snow droughts also increase wildfire risk. When there's snow on the ground, it's hard for wildfires to spread. But with declining snowpacks, the soil and vegetation become exposed to the sun, dry out longer, and become potential fuel for wildfires, according to a Desert Research Institute interview with climatologist Dan McEvoy.
Wildfires degrade air quality and directly endanger lives and livelihoods. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shared that wildfire smoke is responsible for numerous health risks, from eye or respiratory tract infection to worsening asthma, heart failure, and premature mortality.
Utah and Colorado aren't the only states enduring snow drought. Michigan is also experiencing warmer winters, signaling a problematic mosquito season, while temperatures have skyrocketed across the Upper Midwest and the East Coast, causing heat waves that point to a warming planet.
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Always 😷 What's being done about snow drought?
Researchers continue to monitor snowpack conditions and snow drought. According to McEvoy, understanding these processes and providing the right information to partners, such as water resource managers, can help them make better decisions.
A Reddit post on "r/COsnow" sharing the same CNN report sparked a conversation on the effects of rising global temperatures.
"It's one thing to have a single record event, but when the entire season is record breaking, that's not normal. Rain in the mountains in winter is not normal. That's why the low snowpack is more concerning this year," one Redditor wrote.
"I'm still trying to [be] optimistic CO can bounce back. Ya it's going to be a s*** year for skiing, but we obviously need water….," commented another user.
Staying informed about these interconnected challenges by, for example, exploring critical environmental issues can help people understand and initiate more impactful discussions about regional weather shifts.
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