“Across much of the Western United States, winter 2026 was the year the snow never came.”

“Many ski resorts got by with snowmaking but shut down their winter operations early.”

“Where I live in Boise, Idaho, temperatures hit the low 80s Fahrenheit (high-20s Celsius) in mid-March.”

“The same heat dome sent temperatures soaring to 105 F (40 C) in Phoenix.”

“Ordinarily, water managers and hydrologists like me who study the Western U.S. expect the mountain snowpacks to be at their fullest around April 1.”

“But the 2026 water year has been anything but ordinary. In fact, its snow drought has few historical analogs.”

“Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service shows that out of approximately 70 river basins across the Western U.S., only five are at or above the 1991-2020 median snow water equivalent for this time of year.”

“By contrast, 11 basins have less than 25% of the 1991-2020 median, and more than half are below 50%.”

“More than half are below 50%. The headwaters of critically important rivers, including the Colorado, the Columbia and the Missouri, are peppered with basins that are far below historical averages.”

“Other important measures of snow water storage and ecosystem health, including which areas have snow cover in the Western U.S and how long it’s been there, also point toward snow reserves that are far below recent years.”

“Junior water rights holders in the Western U.S. may face difficult decisions regarding crop management and resource allocation in 2026.”

“December 2026 in the Western U.S. experienced warm temperatures but was drenched by strong storms, leading to flooding and snowpack melting.”

“February 2026 precipitation in the Western U.S. was close to historical averages, but temperatures were significantly warmer than normal.”

“Weather conditions in late spring and summer 2026 will play a critical role in determining the readiness of Western U.S. forests and rangelands for fire season.”

“Increased fertilizer and transportation costs associated with the ongoing war in Iran are expected to complicate decisions for junior water rights holders in the Western U.S.”

“January 2026 in the Western U.S. had temperatures warmer than historical averages.”

“Water managers in Wyoming and Washington anticipate some water rights holders will receive less than their full allotment of water in 2026.”

“Questions remain about whether difficult-to-observe subsurface water stores can buffer against snowpack loss in years with near-normal precipitation but low snowpack, such as 2026.”

“Water rights in the Western U.S. are administered under the Doctrine of Prior Appropriation, prioritizing older claims.”

“The snow drought did not mean a lack of precipitation, but high temperatures caused much of the precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow.”

“Researchers are investigating how climate change will affect snowpacks and water supplies in the Western U.S., though challenges and uncertainties remain.”

“The Western U.S. experienced a triple whammy in 2026, with two of the three critical snow-accumulation months being too warm and the third too dry.”

“January 2026 precipitation in the Western U.S. was below the 1991-2020 average.”

“If Lake Powell's water levels fall below the minimum power pool elevation, the Glen Canyon Dam will be unable to generate hydroelectric power.”

“Western U.S. forest and rangeland ecosystems are historically adapted to significant seasonal and annual variations in conditions.”

“The 2026 snow drought presents a high-stakes stress test for the Western U.S. in terms of water management and ecosystem resilience.”

“Precipitation in the Western U.S. in 2026 was near historical averages, with snow present in high-elevation mountains and some rainwater remaining in soils at lower elevations.”

“The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation forecasts that Lake Powell's water levels may drop below the minimum power pool elevation in December 2026.”

“NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System assessment indicates 2026 will be a challenging year for water supplies in the Western U.S.”

“The historic snow drought in 2026 raises concerns about a potential severe fire season in the Western U.S., though this remains an open question.”

“The record-low snowpack in 2026 may serve as an indicator of what a warmer future could look like for the Western U.S. in terms of snowpack and water supply.”

“While rain provided moisture for plant growth in 2026, the lack of snowpack may lead to dry conditions that increase fire risk in the Western U.S. during summer.”