Intermountain West Climate Dashboard
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The Intermountain West Climate Dashboard provides situational awareness of climate, drought, and water resources for Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
Click the question mark icon above each graphic to see the description of that graphic.
Weekly or monthly summaries of evolving climate, drought, and water conditions for the Intermountain West are also available from these providers:
- Colorado Climate Center/NIDIS Intermountain West Drought Status Briefings
- NOAA CBRFC Water Supply Briefings for the Colorado River Basin and Great Basin - monthly, January through May
- NRCS Water Supply Outlook Reports for Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming - monthly, January through May/June
Temperature, Precipitation and Snowpack
Drought Conditions
Current Streamflow, Forecasted Streamflow
Soil Moisture
Reservoir Storage
Precipitation Forecast
Seasonal Climate Outlooks
ENSO Conditions and Forecasts
Latest Briefing
September 5, 2024 - CO, UT, WY
August precipitation was average to much-above average across the region. Parts of Utah and western Colorado received 2 to 4 times the average August precipitation and it was the wettest August on record for some locations in Colorado. Moisture from the North American monsoon also caused severe thunderstorms and flash flooding, especially in Moab where the August 23rd flood event was the third of the summer. August temperatures were a few degrees above average for most of the region. Drought covers 24% of the region and is most severe in Wyoming where extreme drought conditions developed during August. ENSO-neutral conditions currently exist; a weak La Niña may form during earlier winter, but the majority of winter 2024-2025 will likely see neutral ENSO conditions. September is likely to be drier and warmer than average.
Much of the region received average to much-above average precipitation during August. Large areas of Utah, western Colorado and southwestern Wyoming received 150-400% of average August precipitation. Heavy rains caused record wet August conditions in parts of western Colorado. Record August precipitation was observed in Fruita and Ridgway, CO and Loa and Scofield, UT. August precipitation was 178% of average at Utah SNOTEL sites, 167% at Colorado SNOTEL sites and 138% at Wyoming sites with 12 sites in Utah and 9 sites in Colorado breaking August precipitation records. As of September 1st, water year precipitation is 108% of average in Colorado, 139% of average in Utah and 115% of average in Wyoming.
August temperatures were up to two degrees above average across most of the region. In eastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming, August temperatures were 2 to 4 degrees above average and record hot conditions were recorded in parts of the Front Range.
August monthly streamflow was near-normal for most of Utah and western Colorado river basins. Below average monthly streamflow was observed in parts of the Arkansas, Blue, Clear Creek, Colorado, Fraser and South Platte River Basins in Colorado. In Wyoming, August streamflow was below the 5th percentile in parts of the Snake and Wind River Basins. Regional reservoir storage remains above normal in Utah (114% of median capacity) and near-normal in Colorado (93% median capacity) and Wyoming (95% median capacity).
At the end of August, 24% of the region was covered by drought. While total regional coverage of drought changed little in August, drought conditions generally worsened in Wyoming and improved along the northern Front Range of Colorado. In Wyoming, coverage of D1 drought expanded, D2 drought developed in northwestern Wyoming and D3 drought developed in northeastern Wyoming. Drought conditions were removed from parts of the northern Front Range and southeastern Wyoming during August. In Utah, a small area of D1 drought developed near St. George.
Sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean are near average and consistent with ENSO-neutral conditions. Current ENSO forecasts suggest that a weak La Niña may develop in early winter, but that ENSO-neutral conditions are likely to dominate during winter 2024-2025. During both September and September - November, there is an increased probability of below average precipitation for the entire region. There is an increased probability of above average temperatures for the entire region during September – November including a 60-70% probability of above average temperatures during September.
August weather event. More flash flooding in Moab. A significant flash flood tore through Mill Creek in downtown Moab for the third time this summer. In the early evening of August 23rd, a line of severe thunderstorms passed through Moab and the La Sal Mountains, dropping 0.1-1.1” of rain in less than 30 minutes. Despite the modest rainfall amount, the rapid rainfall rate caused severe flash flooding. Mill Creek, which typically flows through downtown Moab at 5 cubic feet per second (cfs) during summer. At 8:15 pm, approximately two hours after the rain event, Mill Creek flow peaked at 6,660 cfs. Debris caught on bridges over Mill Creek caused water to back up and flow through Main Street in Moab and severely damaged one bridge. The August 23rd flash flood event marks the third time this summer that heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding in Moab. On 6/21, heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in Moab due to a flash flooding Mill Creek which had a peak flow of 5,080 cfs. On 6/27, another round of heavy rainfall on the north side of Moab caused flooding primarily due to rapid rainfall rates and surface runoff. Since the August 23rd flood event, Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency in Moab.
August 6, 2024 - CO, UT, WY
A hot and dry July caused expansion of drought conditions across the region. Intermountain West drought coverage expanded from 9% on July 2 to 23% on July 30 driven by drought conditions in eastern Wyoming and the northern Front Range. Regional streamflow conditions were generally below average, but regional reservoir storage is above average in Utah and near average in Colorado and Wyoming. La Niña conditions are predicted to return by early fall and there is a high probability of above average temperatures and below average precipitation for the region during August-October.
Regional precipitation was mostly below average during July. The driest conditions were observed in Utah where the majority of the state received less than 50% of normal July precipitation and SNOTEL sites recorded a statewide 53% of average precipitation. Record-dry July conditions were observed near the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. Large portions of Colorado received less than 75% of average July precipitation with SNOTEL sites recording 76% of average July rainfall. Much of Wyoming also received less than 75% of average July precipitation with SNOTEL sites reporting 82% of average July rainfall. Pockets of above average July precipitation were observed across northwestern Utah and northwestern Wyoming. Despite below average July precipitation, regional water-year precipitation remains near-average.
July temperatures were generally above average west of the Continental Divide and below average east of the Divide. July temperatures in much of Utah, western Colorado and western Wyoming were up to 3 degrees above normal with southern Utah recording July temperatures 3-6 degrees above average. July temperatures in central Wyoming and Colorado east of the Divide were below average.
As regional hydrology approaches baseflow conditions, July streamflow was near average in much of the region. Below average streamflow conditions were observed in western Wyoming, southern Utah and the Dolores River Basin. In Utah, July streamflow was in the lowest 10% of observations for the Escalante, Fremont, Sevier and Virgin Rivers.
Two years of average to above average precipitation leaves regional reservoirs at water storage amounts near-to-above average. In Colorado, reservoirs are 68% full and 93% of median capacity; Utah reservoirs are 85% full and 112% of median capacity; Wyoming reservoirs are 79% full and 96% of median capacity. Upper Colorado River Basin Reservoirs have the most cumulative storage since 2020 with Fontanelle 85% full, Flaming Gorge 88% full, Navajo 70% full, Blue Mesa 74% full and Lake Powell 41% full. Wasatch Front reservoirs are particularly full with Weber River Basin reservoirs at 87% of capacity and Provo River Basin reservoirs at 92% capacity.
After months of relatively little change in regional coverage of drought, drought coverage expanded during July to cover 23% of the region, compared to 9% of the region covered by drought on July 2. Severe drought (D2) developed in eastern Wyoming and the northern Front Range. Moderate drought conditions developed in the Great Salt Lake Desert and expanded in northwestern Wyoming, eastern Wyoming and the northern Front Range. Moderate drought conditions were removed from southeastern Colorado near the Arkansas River.
ENSO-neutral conditions currently exist in the eastern Pacific Ocean and there is a 70% probability of La Niña conditions developing by early fall. NOAA seasonal forecasts suggest a hot and dry August-October. For most of the region, there is a 60-70% chance of above average temperatures during August-October. In August, there is an increased probability of below average precipitation for Wyoming and eastern Colorado. On the three-month timescale, there is an increased probability of below average precipitation for the entire region.
Severe drought and wildfires on the Front Range. Severe drought conditions developed across the northern Front Range of Colorado during July. Despite near-average water year precipitation along the northern Front Range, May-July precipitation was the lowest on record in parts of Boulder and Larimer Counties. The rapid development of drought was accompanied by the ignition of several wildfires, the Alexander Mountain Fire (10,000 acres, west of Loveland), the Stone Canyon Fire (1,500 acres, west of Longmont) and the Quarry Fire (southwest of Littleton) on 7/29 – 7/31. Wildfire smoke from these fires, mixing with smoke from other western fires, caused poor to extremely poor air quality from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins on 7/29 – 8/4. Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins and Greeley experienced orange air quality (unhealthy for sensitive groups) for ozone during this period. In Colorado Springs, orange air quality conditions due to ozone pollution were present from 7/31 – 8/4. Red or unhealthy air quality conditions were observed in Boulder and Denver from 7/31 – 8/2 with high PM2.5 pollution co-occurring on 8/1. Spikes in ozone pollution during periods with wildfire smoke can occur even if particulate matter from smoke is low or moderate.
