Western snowpack at record lows

Western mountains entered April with record-low snowpack after a hot March melted snow that usually lasts into spring. (drought.gov) Snowpack is the mountain snow that acts like a frozen reservoir, releasing water gradually as it melts. April 1 is the main checkpoint for that reservoir because snow water equivalent usually peaks around then. (drought.gov) As of April 1, 2026, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming all posted their lowest April 1 snow water equivalent since federal SNOTEL monitoring began in the 1980s. California recorded its second-lowest April 1 value. (drought.gov) The March heat was not a small anomaly. The contiguous United States had its warmest March on record in 2026, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, after a winter that was also exceptionally warm across much of the West. (weather.com) (weatherwest.com) The problem was not just low snowfall. NASA said many western basins got average or above-average precipitation in fall and early winter, but warmer temperatures meant more of it fell as rain instead of snow. (science.nasa.gov) By March 30, the vast majority of Natural Resources Conservation Service snow stations across the West were below 50% of the 1991-2020 median for snow-water equivalent. That left little margin before the March heat wave accelerated melting. (theconversation.com) Federal drought officials said only a few western basins were near a normal peak date by early April. In much of the region, snow melted earlier than usual, shifting runoff earlier in the year and reducing the water stored for late spring and summer. (drought.gov) That shows up downstream in river forecasts. Drought.gov said a majority of forecast points in the Colorado River Basin are expected to produce less than 30% of average runoff this spring and summer. (drought.gov) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Colorado Basin River Forecast Center had already warned in March that March 1 snow water equivalent was at or near record lows across much of its territory. The center’s briefing said many SNOTEL sites were already the lowest in their 40- to 50-year periods of record. (cbrfc.noaa.gov) Washington was in better shape than many neighboring states, but still far below normal. The Natural Resources Conservation Service said statewide April 1 snow water equivalent in Washington was 52% of normal. (publicnow.com) An independent report published April 12 said the weak 2025-2026 snow season points to poor trail access and water conditions, but said snowpack alone cannot pinpoint the exact date of peak melt or when specific routes will open. (poudrerockreport.com) The next test is late spring weather. Drought.gov said relief now depends on late-season storms and, farther south, how active the summer monsoon becomes after a winter and March that already reset the snowpack baseline. (drought.gov)