Overview
- Colorado has held an all-time low snowpack for 16 straight days, with statewide snow water at 5.3 inches, about 0.6 inches below the previous record for this date.
- Statewide levels sit near 58% of the median, with basin readings from 50% in the Arkansas to 68% in the North Platte, according to recent assessments.
- NRCS monitoring shows most Western basins trending below average after a warm start to winter that pushed more precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow.
- Forecasts from the European model and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center point to only weak systems and below-average precipitation through mid-February.
- Forecasters note a likely shift from La Niña toward neutral this spring that could bring late-season gains, though scientists still warn of strained water supplies, higher wildfire risk, and added pressure on Colorado River talks.