Historic Snow Drought Tests the West's Water, Power and Fire Season
TL;DR Summary
Winter 2026 brought an unprecedented snow drought across the Western U.S., with most basins well below the 1991–2020 median and only a few near or above average. The reduced snowpack tightens water supplies and river flows, signals possible cuts to water rights allocations, and threatens Lake Powell’s hydroelectric power capacity. Warmer temperatures and sparse snow raise concerns about a fiercer fire season, making this drought a high-stakes stress test for the West and a potential glimpse of a warmer climate future.
- 2026’s historic snow drought brings worries about water, wildfires and the future in the West The Conversation
- Before and after satellite images show how little snow is left in the western US CNN
- Climate change is already happening in Colorado. Here are 10 signs we can see right now. The Colorado Sun
- As the West’s scant snowpack melts, Coloradans brace for a lean water year Colorado Public Radio
- Front Range water utilities impose restrictions and push conservation to combat drought this summer The Colorado Sun
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