Record-breaking snowmelt is unfolding across the western U.S., putting parts of Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico into a late-season snow drought.
Earlier in the year, many mountain regions saw a strong snowpack—but unseasonably warm, dry conditions have caused that snow to melt rapidly, in some places weeks ahead of schedule. Some monitoring stations are reporting the earliest melt on record.
The consequences go beyond water loss. Experts say this accelerated snowmelt, combined with a very dry atmosphere, is quickly drying out soils and vegetation—setting the stage for an early and potentially dangerous wildfire season.
In some areas, the heat is so intense that snow is sublimating—going directly from solid to vapor—without producing the runoff needed to refill rivers and reservoirs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has already revised forecasts downward for major watersheds like the Colorado, Rio Grande, and Columbia Rivers.
With even more heat in the outlook, communities across the West are urged to prepare for a dry and potentially volatile summer.
