US Drought Monitor 101
Peter Goble Every Thursday morning, a colorful map of the United States updates online. Published by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM)…
You’re Invited: Remembering the 50th Anniversary of the 1976 Big Thompson Flood
Allie Mazurek Happy July! As we start the new month, our office is busy preparing to commemorate one of Colorado’s most impactful weather events: the 1976 Big Thompson Flood. Nearly 50 years…
Where do things stand with the drought, and where are we headed?
Russ Schumacher After the worst year for mountain snowpack since snowpack has been measured, we are now starting to see the extremely low river flows that were expected as a result. Some…
Mountain snowpack should be peaking around now. This year, it’s almost gone
We’ve reached April 1, which is a key date in assessing where things stand with snow in the mountains, which then informs the likely water supply in streams and rivers…
An unprecedented spring heat wave
Last week’s heat wave was record-smashing, extraordinary, and impossible to ignore. Given that temperatures were more typical of what we’d expect in June, we’ll try not to judge you if…
How does this year compare to the snow droughts of the past?
Colorado’s mountain snowpack is in bad shape this year. It’s been extremely warm, and snowstorms have been few and far between. Based on data from the SNOTEL network, the amount…
A look back at the “big chill” from three years ago
There hasn’t been much cold weather to speak of so far this winter in Colorado. But do you remember what happened at this time in December of 2022? If you’re…
Where is the snow? A look at the warm, dry weather and what to expect for the start of 2026
The past several weeks have felt more like an extension of fall rather than the beginning of winter in Colorado. While the warmth has been a welcome reprieve to the…
A look back on Water Year 2025
Our Colorado Water Year 2025 Summary is now live! You can explore the full summary on this website, and we’ll summarize some key messages below. Abnormally warm and dry Temperatures…
More on the October 2025 rain and floods in southwest Colorado
Our post from over the weekend highlighted the first round of heavy rainfall and flooding in southwest Colorado. There was a break in the rain on Sunday, October 12, and…