Drought for the west

[TOGIE]

It’s bad. There’s still time to turn things around, but not much reason for optimism right now.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Today I harrowed my pastures in a t shirt until evening. I've never seen an open winter like this.

 

[Wildabeest]

Worst snowpack since they started keeping records in northern Utah. Could be a rough summer if we don’t get some snow soon.

 

[Irrelevant]

I have two river trip permits, but I might try and go pre-season as I think that might be the only "Flow" we get.

 

[hank4elk]

The driest winter in 17 years here. 10 inches of snow all winter. 6",then a couple 2" storms.
Been in extreme drought for 5 years,minus one good season. Back in the red again...by Feb.

Woodcutter/guide buddy said the ponderosa are getting devastated again in Gila. Maybe 6 inches of snow in shade in high country.
I mentioned the pinion IPPS back bad. You can see the acres of dead brown trees showing up, thousands of acres.
We both said 90% of trees dead in areas. Guess.
Extreme fire danger with the pinions now. Gas trees. Dry rotted trunks with snapping branches full of pitch.

Very few birds around all winter.
I saw 2 snakes last year. A handfull of lizards around the woodpile.
Not good.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Horse Creek drainage, Bridger Mountains, Montana:

January snowfall 2026: 2.5"
Average Jan snowfall: 21.2"

Total to day: 39"
Average to date: 72.4"

Snow on ground Jan 31, 2026: 0" (crusty patches in shady areas)

Unusually dry, so hope for precipitation as usual in March, April, and May.

 

[Nameless Range]

The most intense year of the Dust Bowl was 1934. Pretty wild that land managers are challenged with doing Rx burns due to concern of wildfire, in early February. In the last month, I've been hiking in a t-shirt in 50° weather where I should be snowshoeing.

 

[SaskHunter]

We're well below recent trends and above normal temps at the moment. My predictions are going to be more or less the same as last year: hot, dry and fiery!

We had tons of snowfalls entering 2025 with decent spring rains, no one expected a record fire season, which we got. All that moisture disappeared once we had temperature extremes early summer. Mother nature baked that bitch dry!

 

[mountainlaurel3]

I have two river trip permits, but I might try and go pre-season as I think that might be the only "Flow" we get.

Which rivers? Waiting on lottery permits, though I did take into account the terrible winter when choosing dates...

SW CO has had basically no snow (about 16" at 7800'), after a similar winter last year. Could be an ugly fire season.

 

[44hunter45]

Water Resources Looks Good Over the Western U.S.

This blog provides updated forecasts and comments on current weather or other topics

cliffmass.blogspot.com

Did they actually slip in that the dams are "good for fish" ?

 

[Southern Elk]

I keep hearing that the long range forecast for March is wet. I hope that that’s the case. We have a lot of catching up to do. I live at 6000 feet and I normally have snow at my place for most of the winter. It’s dry as a bone now.

 

[elkduds]

Climate Prediction Center - Seasonal Outlook

Climate Prediction Center - Seasonal Outlook

 

[Chama Grande]

Did they actually slip in that the dams are "good for fish" ?

He's implying that the flows behind Grand Coullee are good for power generation and good for fish. I don't think he's making any qualitative argument that dams are good for fish

I think even worse is his title where it states that the western US is in good shape on the water outlook which, as someone who works the Colorado, San Juan, and Rio Grande - no.

Edit: Everything above Lake Powell is in the sh*tter. 2002 was a phenomenally bad year

 

[Irrelevant]

Did they actually slip in that the dams are "good for fish" ?

He is very pro pragmatic solutions to climate change, including dams. Many people don't agree with him.

 

[Irrelevant]

Which rivers? Waiting on lottery permits, though I did take into account the terrible winter when choosing dates...

SW CO has had basically no snow (about 16" at 7800'), after a similar winter last year. Could be an ugly fire season.

John Day. The permit system is so terrible for that one that I snagged two but will probably only use one

 

[TOGIE]

SW CO has had basically no snow (about 16" at 7800'), after a similar winter last year. Could be an ugly fire season.

last winter was not similar. we are in record breaking low snowpack territory. last winter we just hung out just a tad below the median the whole time. to be sure, last winter was of course not great.

but, since records started we haven't seen anything like this since 2002-2003 in colorado and, currently, it's worse.

 

[Irrelevant]

Take a look at the OR Cascades...

 

[marshman]

Lowest recorded snowpack ever for February in the Washington Cascades.
Second warmest winter temp's recorded since record keeping began 80 years ago.
Time is running very short to make it up.

 

[Steiny77]

It's mighty dry in parts of the midwest too. For the last two years it has quit raining around August and we've had very dry falls and winters.
Most of the wetlands are dried up and most ponds, creeks and rivers are way low. Have only gotten about 8" total snow so far this winter so not much help from it either.
If we don't get some serious late winter / spring moisture things could start getting bad, including crop failures.