Updates from this week's state Water Conditions Monitoring Committee meeting, including the flash drought in southeastern Colorado and the welcome rain in northern Colorado, in this @coloradosun.com story.

🏜️ CO Drought Update: The northern half of CO saw substantial precipitation earlier this week, leading to improvements for some in the latest Drought Monitor. Southern CO saw less moisture, prompting deteriorating drought conditions in the San Luis Valley.

Severe thunderstorm activity will be ramping up in eastern Colorado this weekend, right on time in mid-May. Here’s a blog post from a couple years ago with the where and when of Colorado severe weather, along with where to get timely information. #cowx

Colorado’s Drought Task Force ramps up response to record-breaking conditions

After a record-shattering March, April seemed at least a little more normal in Colorado. But it was again warmer than average. Flash drought set in across the eastern Plains. Mountain snowmelt slowed, but remained record low. Read more in our April 2026 summary: climate.colostate.edu/monthly_summ...

9 years ago today, the costliest hailstorm in U.S. and Colorado history pummeled the west side of the Denver metro area. An estimated 150k auto insurance claims came in after baseball-size hail blasted Wheat Ridge, Arvada, and Lakewood. It destroyed the Colorado Mills mall. What do you remember?

🏜️ Colorado Drought Update: It's been a while since we've had drought improvements to report on! A few parts of the state finally saw some beneficial rainfall. Meanwhile, drought conditions continued to worsen in southeast CO as mostly dry conditions persisted. #cowx

This is my new favorite graphic produced by @climate.colostate.edu and @rschumacher.cloud. It's also been quite fascinating to watch the accumulation of above average temperatures for the water year. Find it here: climate.colostate.edu/co_cag/

March 2026 rewrote the record books for early-spring warmth in Colorado. It was warmer than most Aprils. Hundreds of temperature records were set across the state, including a new March record of 99°F. The heat was prolonged, and it was also very dry. Read more in our monthly state climate summary.👇

March was...not helpful. NOAA CBRFC's April 1st (50% exceedance) forecast now has Lake Powell April-July inflows at 1400 KAF, 22% of average. Only 2002 (963 KAF) and 1977 (1208 KAF) ended up with lower inflows than that. If dry conditions continue through spring, 2026 could drop below 2002.

Mountain snowpack in Colorado should be peaking around now. This year, it's almost gone. New blog post that shows how it is now clear that this is the worst snowpack year on record for Colorado, following the record-shattering March warmth. 1/

The March summary for the Fort Collins weather station that our office maintains is chock-full of eye-popping stats. Highest single-month temperature anomaly in the 130+ year period of record, 8 days warmer than the previous March record, earliest 90° day on record by over a month, and more. #cowx

“This year is on a whole other level,” said Colorado State University climatologist Dr Russ Schumacher, speaking about the intense heat that began rapidly melting the already sparse snowpack in March. “Seeing this year so far below any of the other years we have data for is very concerning.” #cowx

It’s actually a lot more than 12 locations, the table just would’ve been longer than anyone wanted to read if we tried to list them all 🥵

Update: the one record we had not yet broken this month was the all-time March record for Colorado (96°F at Holly in 1907), but that record will also fall. Stations at Springfield and Walsh in SE CO reached 97°F today. It's possible other stations that report daily will show even higher values #cowx

Last week’s heat wave was record-smashing, extraordinary, and impossible to ignore. It continued yesterday and even today in parts of the state. This new blog post provides some climate context on the mind-boggling temperatures and how they are affecting the drought and snowpack situation. #cowx

The latest US Drought Monitor: Last week's record-setting temperatures and dry weather brought widespread worsening drought to Colorado. Nearly a quarter of the state is now seeing extreme drought or worse conditions. #cowx

"We look ahead to March & April as the time when big storms are possible and the deficits can be made up. Unfortunately, this year has been just the opposite: Instead of much-needed snowstorms, we’re in an unprecedented March heat wave that is accelerating the melting of what little snow is there."

Last week's record-setting heat took a major toll on Colorado's snowpack (which was already in bad shape). We're currently sitting at 44% of average with ~2 weeks to go until our average peak. Little to no precipitation is expected over the next 7 days. #cowx

“March”

"Meteorologists are reaching for superlatives to describe an oncoming heat wave so intense and rare for this time of year that it could leave some locations shattering their all-time temperature records for April before that month has even begun." www.cnn.com/2026/03/17/w...

“I think that'll be the big question, is exactly how much of that already poor snowpack do we lose with the really anomalous warmth coming in over the next week?” #cowx #drought

“Colorado has warmed at a faster rate than the global average and is expected to continue to warm...Having said that, not every winter going forward is going to be as warm as this winter. And, in fact...I think this winter will be considered a much-warmer-than-normal winter for some time to come.”

This week’s heat from the West Coast to the Plains will set hundreds of daily records—many by several degrees. Some areas may even set March records, with temperatures more typical of June. Learn how to stay safe: weather.gov/heat

Potential for very strong winds and low humidity tomorrow (Thursday) in northern Colorado, which means increased fire danger. Forecast graphic from NWS in Boulder #cowx

Unfortunately, not much good news to share in our February state climate summary. According to NOAA data, it was the warmest February in 132 years of records. Mountain snowpack remains at the lowest level in over 40 years. Several locations set new monthly high temperature records for February. 1/4

Snow-covered mountain peaks reflect the Sun's rays back toward space instead of absorbing them, which helps maintain those freezing temperatures even on bright, sunny days, explains a climatologist. buff.ly/a20MtF3

Drought continues to expand in Colorado, with this week's US Drought Monitor showing a new area of extreme drought (D3) around the Denver metro area and expansion of severe drought (D2) in northeast Colorado, in addition to the ongoing extreme to exceptional drought in the mountains. #cowx

Coverage of last week's state Water Conditions Monitoring Committee meeting, and the potential for the state drought task force to be activated, in Vail Daily. #cowx #drought

Here are some additional locations that saw record-setting warmth on Tuesday 🌡️ #cowx

New February monthly record high temperature at Pueblo: 83 °F. Numerous locations in southeast Colorado had highs in the 80s today. #cowx

The snow this week has been very welcome, but we’re still way behind for the winter. Coverage of the implications of low mountain snowpack in The Atlantic:

All of the reasons Colorado’s horrible snowpack is so problematic

January brought more warm conditions across Colorado, and the mountain snowpack is at its lowest levels in decades. Water Year 2026 is off to the warmest start of any water year on record for Colorado, by a large margin. To read more cheery climate details, here's the link to our January summary!

Colorado has its lowest snowpack on record, but official records date back only to 1987. It's likely that snowpack was actually worse in both the 1976-77 and 1980-81 winters, per analysis from @climate.colostate.edu's @rschumacher.cloud. Great insight here: climate.colostate.edu/blog/index.p...

The mountain snowpack so far this winter is in bad shape. Long-time Coloradans might remember two other terrible winters for snow: 1976-77 and 1980-81. Our latest blog post takes a look at how this year compares to those snow droughts of the past. #cowx

last week, engagement climatologist Allie Mazurek fielded questions about temperature and snow from 3rd graders in Golden - including one real stumper! Read more in this summary from @cprnews.bsky.social #cowx

“We’re far enough into the winter that it starts to become difficult to dig out of these deficits,” (Assistant State Climatologist Peter) Goble said. “It’d take a big year to get us back to normal” from @coloradosun.com #cowx

The first half of meteorological winter was record warm for an extraordinary swath of the West, from Las Vegas to Denver, Salt Lake City to Seattle and Phoenix to Portland. The anomalously temperatures are fueling a snow drought, concerning scientists. www.sfchronicle.com/weather/arti...

Exceptional. Record-smashing. Disturbingly warm. December 2025 was one for the record books in Colorado. 🌡️ Warmest December 🌡️ >1000 daily high temperature records 🌡️ Warmest October thru December by far 🌡️ 4th-warmest year Read more in our monthly summary: climate.colostate.edu/monthly_summ...

the Marshall Fire, four years ago today

“The winter of 1976-77 is generally thought to be the worst snow year in our mountains but the SNOTEL network wasn’t built out yet at that point, so it’s hard to make direct comparisons...But the fact that we’re even in the same conversation with that winter is not good news.” (Summit Daily)

It hasn't been cold this December, but 3 years ago it got cold in a hurry. Do you remember the cold front on December 21, 2022? It was extreme in all kinds of ways, which you can read about in this blog post. Among the highlights: the temperature dropped almost 25°F in ten seconds in Akron! #cowx

Aaaand it's officially Denver's hottest December day in 86 years. 76° so far in Denver. That's our average high on...May 27th. #COwx

New blog post: Where is the snow? A look at the warm, dry weather and what to expect for the start of 2026. #cowx

Wildfires can spread quickly — by the time one is nearby, you may not have much time. Have an evacuation plan, and prepare an emergency supply kit ahead of time. Listen to local officials for emergency information and any evacuation orders.

Very strong winds and extremely dry conditions are expected across the Front Range tomorrow (Dec. 19). Critical fire weather conditions will be in place, with the greatest risk over parts of Boulder and Jefferson counties. Key messages below from NWS Boulder. Stay safe and weather aware! #cowx

Extreme winds were observed across eastern Colorado yesterday, with numerous wildfires growing quickly in Yuma County last night. The strongest winds were in the foothills, with several reports of gusts over 100mph. But the >80mph gusts on the eastern plains are perhaps even more unusual. #cowx

Key messages from NWS Boulder's briefing on the upcoming high winds along the Front Range. Available at: www.weather.gov/media/bou/Ds... #cowx