Overview
- NOAA reports Feb. 1 snow cover across the West at 139,322 square miles, the lowest for that date in the satellite record since 2001, with Oregon, Colorado and Utah at record-low statewide snowpack.
- Federal forecasters now project only about 38% of average inflow to Lake Powell through July, with the reservoir roughly a quarter full and implications for water supply and hydropower downstream.
- A persistent western ridge left January warm and relatively dry, causing much precipitation to fall as rain and triggering early melt, including at elevations near 10,000 feet, according to the CBRFC.
- Forecasters favor a wetter pattern over the next two weeks, yet warmer-than-normal temperatures remain likely, limiting the potential to rebuild snowpack before the seasonal peak.
- Ski economies are already strained, with reduced terrain and cancellations; Vail Resorts reported skier visits down 20% as of Jan. 4 and lodging data show a 4% drop in occupancy in Colorado and Utah.