Story perspectives

West Faces Snow Drought Amid Ongoing 26-Year Megadrought

2/1/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The West faces an extreme snow drought amid unseasonably warm weather, with Park City, Utah, and Vail, Colorado, reporting bare ground.
This decline in snowpack, crucial for water storage, exacerbates a 26-year megadrought in the Colorado Rockies and the Colorado River basin.
The drought complicates negotiations between Upper and Lower Basin states over river management.
Scientists say attributing the snow drought solely to climate change is challenging.

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Story summary

The West faces an extreme snow drought amid unseasonably warm weather, with Park City, Utah, and Vail, Colorado, reporting bare ground.
This decline in snowpack, crucial for water storage, exacerbates a 26-year megadrought in the Colorado Rockies and the Colorado River basin.
The drought complicates negotiations between Upper and Lower Basin states over river management.
Scientists say attributing the snow drought solely to climate change is challenging.