Colorado snowpack sits below average entering March
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Image courtesy of OpenSnow.com
Colorado's snowpack is below average with significant variations across the state.
Why it matters: Winter precipitation is crucial to the $17-billion outdoor industry — from skiing to rafting — and vital to taming wildfire threats in the hot, dry summer months.
State of play: The current statewide snowpack is 92% compared to the 30-year norm, which tracks with trendlines for La Niña years, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
Yes, but: The northern half of the state — including the Colorado River headwaters — is at 100% or more, while the southern half of the state is as low as 64% of normal.
Catch up quick: Colorado started the winter season in the right direction with a late November storm, but then the spigot shut off with prolonged dry spells in December and January and milder temperatures, OpenSnow meteorologist Sam Collentine tells us.
- The mid-February storm boosted the snowpack significantly, particularly along and north of Interstate 70.
What we're watching: March may be the make-or-break month, Collentine says. The snowpack will decline toward the end of February with higher sun and warmer temperatures, but multiple storms are in the forecast for March.