A harsh winter has struck the western United States, leaving many mountainous regions with critically low snowpack levels. This phenomenon, known as a snow drought, is attributed to warmer-than-average temperatures and increased precipitation falling as rain rather than snow.
According to satellite images from NASA's Terra satellite, on January 15, only 142,700 square miles (369,700 square kilometers) of the western U.S. were blanketed with snow, marking the lowest coverage for that date in over two decades. The region has seen above-average precipitation in recent months, but record warmth has resulted in much of it falling as rain instead of snow.
The National Integrated Drought Information System reports that the snow drought is most acute in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. In some areas, snow water equivalent – a measure of the amount of water stored in the snowpack – is at its lowest levels in at least 20 years.
Climate scientist Daniel Swain attributes the snow deficit to temperature-driven changes, stating that "this is a classic climate-change, temperature-driven, elevationally dependent snowpack deficit." He notes that while high-elevation areas have seen more precipitation as snow, this has not been enough to make up for deficits lower in the mountains.
The health of the mountain snowpack is crucial for ecosystems, wildfire dynamics, and water availability during drier times of the year. However, with significant amounts of winter still remaining, it remains uncertain whether snowfall in coming months will be able to mitigate existing deficits. In regions already dry, such as the Pacific Northwest and the Colorado River Basin, the impact may be exacerbated rather than alleviated.
NASA's Earth Observatory provides satellite images of the situation, including a chart showing that January 2026 snow coverage was significantly below the January median, as well as the previous minimum from 2015.
According to satellite images from NASA's Terra satellite, on January 15, only 142,700 square miles (369,700 square kilometers) of the western U.S. were blanketed with snow, marking the lowest coverage for that date in over two decades. The region has seen above-average precipitation in recent months, but record warmth has resulted in much of it falling as rain instead of snow.
The National Integrated Drought Information System reports that the snow drought is most acute in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. In some areas, snow water equivalent – a measure of the amount of water stored in the snowpack – is at its lowest levels in at least 20 years.
Climate scientist Daniel Swain attributes the snow deficit to temperature-driven changes, stating that "this is a classic climate-change, temperature-driven, elevationally dependent snowpack deficit." He notes that while high-elevation areas have seen more precipitation as snow, this has not been enough to make up for deficits lower in the mountains.
The health of the mountain snowpack is crucial for ecosystems, wildfire dynamics, and water availability during drier times of the year. However, with significant amounts of winter still remaining, it remains uncertain whether snowfall in coming months will be able to mitigate existing deficits. In regions already dry, such as the Pacific Northwest and the Colorado River Basin, the impact may be exacerbated rather than alleviated.
NASA's Earth Observatory provides satellite images of the situation, including a chart showing that January 2026 snow coverage was significantly below the January median, as well as the previous minimum from 2015.
i got some tea on this winter drought thing... i've been talking to some sources in the climate community and they're saying it's not just a fluke, this is what happens when you're warming up the planet at an alarming rate 
. i mean, we all know about the science behind it, but it's crazy how extreme it's gotten. washington state is literally struggling to get any snow 
and it's affecting everything from water supplies to wildlife habitats. my source says the real kicker is that even if you do get some snow in february, it might not be enough to make a dent in the deficit... i know, mind blown 
. I mean, I've been saying it for years, but now even NASA is confirming that warmer temperatures are causing these huge snow droughts in the western US 
. It's not just about a little bit of warming, it's about record-breaking warmth that's basically ruining the entire ecosystem up there 
. And let me tell you, I've lived in California for years and I've never seen anything like this... the weather is all over the place 
. I know some people will say it's just a natural cycle or whatever, but come on, 20+ years of record-breaking warmth? That's not normal 
. And what really concerns me is that even if we do get more snow in the coming months, it won't necessarily fix everything... the damage has already been done 
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climate change is def real and stuff so yeah it's probs related
. It's crazy how warming temps and more rain than snow are affecting our mountains 
. Climate change is no joke, and it's impacting our ecosystems, wildfires, and water supplies so much 
. Daniel Swain said it all - temperature-driven changes are causing this snow deficit, and high-elevation areas just can't make up for the lower mountain regions 
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. I'm keeping an eye on NASA's Earth Observatory - those satellite images are crazy! 
January 2026 was way below average, and it's only going to get worse unless we do something about climate change 
. It's not just the mountains that will suffer - our entire planet is feeling the effects of climate change 
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it's not just about us either climate change is affecting so many ecosystems and wildfires and water supply what can we do to slow this down btw i tried making my own bee-friendly garden last spring it was super easy just used some native plants and a few rocks lol
this winter is so bad! I'm a total ski bum and it's heartbreaking to think about how little snow there is in the west 
It's just so frustrating and I feel like no one is doing enough to address climate change 
. Can't we just have a normal winter for once?! 
This climate change is really hitting home, especially for the mountainous regions in the western US. The stats are crazy - record low snowpack levels and it's not just about the amount of water we need, but also about the ecosystems that rely on it. It's like the old saying goes, "You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs," but with climate change, it feels like we're constantly scrambling to find new ways to deal with the consequences 
. I feel bad for all those skiers and snowboarders who were looking forward to hitting the slopes this season 
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? And I don't know about Daniel Swain, but if high-elevation areas are seeing more snow and that's not enough to make up for lower areas... does that mean we're running out of snow altogether 
. It's not just about the temperature; it's about how that temperature affects our snowpack levels. Daniel Swain's got some good points about high-elevation areas getting more precipitation, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're making up for the deficits at lower elevations.
. We need to be thinking about this in terms of how it affects our daily lives, not just as a environmental issue. And it's not like we don't have any data; NASA's got all these satellite images that show us exactly what's going on 
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. I mean I've lived near mountains my whole life and I can tell you that when it doesn't snow, it's a big deal 
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climate change man, it's a real thing 
but seriously, this means water scarcity in some places which is super concerning. and what's up with the satellite images from nasa? 
i feel bad for all the skiers and winter sports enthusiasts this is gonna be a tough season. climate change is real and it's affecting us hard. Daniel Swain is right on point about temperature-driven changes but I wish there was a magic solution to fix this ASAP
. I remember my kids talking about how winters were so much colder when they were young, and now it's like a whole different world. Climate change is no joke, folks! It's not just about polar bears or rising sea levels; it's about the little things that affect us all, like where we get our water from.
. We've got to take care of them so they can keep thriving. I wish we could turn back the clock, but I guess it's up to each of us to make conscious choices about how we live our lives.
. We just need to keep learning from them and support their work so they can keep pushing forward with new ideas and innovations 
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And isn't the snowpack thingy like super important for... umm wildlife or something? 