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 ColoradoUtah, and Wyoming - monthly, January through May/June

View the latest briefing

Temperature, Precipitation and Snowpack

30-day Temp. Anomaly
(HPRCC)

( updated daily )

30-day Precip as % Avg
(HPRCC)

( updated daily )

Water-Year Precip as % Avg
(HPRCC)

( updated daily )

Current Snowpack - Western U.S.
(NRCS)

( updated daily )

Current Snowpack - Colorado
(NRCS)

( updated daily )

Current Snowpack - Utah
(NRCS)

( updated daily )

Current Snowpack - Wyoming
(NRCS)

( updated daily )

Spatial SWE Estimates
Info

( monthly )

Drought Conditions

US Drought Monitor
(NDMC)

( updated weekly )

US Drought Monitor - Western US
(NDMC)

( updated weekly )

US Drought Monitor
(NDMC) Wyoming

( updated weekly )

US Drought Monitor
(NDMC) Utah

( updated weekly )

US Drought Monitor
(NDMC) Colorado

( updated weekly )

Standardized Precip Index (SPI)
(SPI)

( updated daily )

1-mo

Standardized Precip Index (SPI)
(SPI)

( updated daily )

3-mo

Standardized Precip Index (SPI)
(SPI)

( updated daily )

12-mo

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)
(EDDI)

( updated daily )

2-wk

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)
(EDDI)

( updated daily )

4-wk

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)
(EDDI)

( updated daily )

3-mo

Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI)
(EDDI)

( updated daily )

6-mo

Current Streamflow, Forecasted Streamflow

Current Streamflow - CO
(USGS) Colorado

( updated daily )

Current Streamflow - UT
(USGS) Utah

( updated daily )

Current Streamflow - WY
(USGS) Wyoming

( updated daily )

Streamflow (last 4 weeks)
(USGS)

( updated daily )

NRCS Seasonal Streamflow Forecast
(NRCS)

( monthly update )

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Key to images above

Soil Moisture

Soil Moisture Anomaly

( updated daily )

Reservoir Storage

Upper Colorado Reservoirs
(Reclamation)

( updated daily )

Wasatch Front Reservoirs
(Reclamation)

( updated daily )

Uinta Basin Reservoirs
(Reclamation)

( updated daily )

Upper Green River Basin Reservoirs
(Reclamation)

( updated daily )

Gunnison River Basin Reservoirs
(Reclamation)

( updated daily )

San Juan River Basin Reservoirs
(Reclamation)

( updated daily )

Precipitation Forecast

7-Day Precipitation Forecast
(NOAA WPC)

( updated daily )

Seasonal Climate Outlooks

One-Month Precipitation Outlook
(NOAA CPC)

( monthly update )

Three-Month Precipitation Outlook
(NOAA CPC)

( monthly update )

One-Month Temperature Outlook
(NOAA CPC)

( monthly update )

Three-Month Temperature Outlook
(NOAA CPC)

( monthly update )

Seasonal Drought Outlook
(NOAA CPC)

( monthly update )

ENSO Conditions and Forecasts

ENSO Phase Probability
(IRI)

( updated monthly )

ENSO Model Projections Plume
(IRI)

( monthly update )

Latest Briefing

March 11, 2024 - CO, UT, WY

February was warmer and much wetter than normal across the majority of the region. Snowpack conditions improved and are above normal in Utah (119%), near-normal in Colorado (97%), and slightly-below normal in Wyoming (88%). Seasonal streamflow volume forecasts are below normal to near-normal for the majority of the region, except for northern Utah in the Great Salt Lake region where forecasts are above normal. Regional drought coverage slightly improved and now covers 13% of the region. There is a 70% chance of ENSO-neutral conditions starting in April-June. The NOAA precipitation outlook for the region in March suggests an increased probability of above normal precipitation.

February precipitation was above to much-above normal for the majority of the region, with pockets of below normal conditions on the West Slope of Colorado, southern Utah, and northeastern Wyoming. Areas of 200% or more of normal precipitation occurred throughout the majority of the Front Range, eastern and northwestern Colorado, western Wyoming, and northern Utah in the Great Salt Lake region with pockets scattered throughout the state. Areas of 400% or more of normal precipitation occurred in El Paso and Pueblo Counties in Colorado, Box Elder and Tooele Counties in Utah, and Sweetwater County in Wyoming. Record-wet conditions occurred in each state, with particularly large record-wet areas in Larimer, Weld, and Pueblo Counties in Colorado, and Box Elder County in Utah.

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Regional temperatures were slightly-above to above normal in February. The majority of the region experienced 0-3°F or 3-6°F above normal temperatures with large areas of 6-9°F above normal temperatures in northeastern Colorado and northeastern Wyoming. Pockets of 6-9°F above normal temperatures occurred in southeastern and northwestern Colorado, northeastern and northwestern Utah, and southeastern and western Wyoming. Temperature percentile rankings for February were above normal (top 33%) to much-above normal (top 10%) throughout almost the entirety of the region.

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Regional snowpack ranged from below normal conditions in northern Wyoming to above normal conditions in Utah with near-normal conditions prevalent in southern Wyoming, southern Utah, and most of Colorado. As of March 1st, statewide percent median snow-water equivalent (SWE) was 97% in Colorado, 119% in Utah, and 88% in Wyoming. The Belle Fourche Basin in Wyoming had the lowest percent median SWE (57%) and the Lower San Juan Basin in Utah and Colorado had the highest percent median SWE (128%) by the end of the day on February 29th.

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Regional April-July streamflow volume forecasts are mostly below normal (70-90%) to near-normal (90-110%), with much-below normal (<50-70%) forecasts for the Escalante Desert-Sevier Lake River Basin in Utah and the Cheyenne River Basin in Wyoming. However, there are above normal (110-130%) streamflow forecasts for basins surrounding the Great Salt Lake, including the Great Salt Lake, Lower Bear, Jordan, and Weber River Basins. In most locations, forecasted streamflow volume increased compared to the February 1st forecast. The forecast for the inflow to Lake Powell is 78% of average, up 4% from the February 1st forecast and up 12% from the January 1st forecast.

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Regional drought conditions improved in February and now cover 13% of the region, a 5% decrease in drought coverage since the end of January. Severe (D2) drought developed in north-central and northeastern Wyoming while extreme (D3) drought improved in south-central Colorado and moderate (D1) drought improved in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah.

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El Niño conditions continued during February and there is an 80% chance of these conditions continuing during March. However, there is a 70% chance of El Niño conditions transitioning to ENSO-neutral conditions during April-June. The NOAA precipitation outlook for March suggests an increased probability of above normal precipitation for the entire region with likely above normal precipitation (50-60% chance) throughout most of Colorado, Utah, and southern Wyoming. The NOAA temperature outlook for March suggests an increased probability of above normal temperatures in northeastern Wyoming and below normal temperatures throughout the majority of Utah, particularly in the southwest. The NOAA seasonal temperature outlook for March-May suggests an increased probability of above normal temperatures throughout the northern, central, and western regions of Wyoming and the northern and western regions of Utah.

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February significant weather event: Record-wet snowstorm in the Front Range. From February 2-3, the Front Range experienced an intense 18-hour precipitation deluge, with some areas receiving over 2 inches of liquid equivalent (rain and melted snow water), surpassing the total precipitation of the previous two months. A southern-track low-pressure system originating in southeastern Colorado was responsible for this substantial moisture. The storm brought heavy upslope precipitation—rain and heavy snow—to northern Colorado. Boulder received a record-breaking 1.74 inches of precipitation, making it the all-time wettest February storm since recordkeeping began in 1897 and surpassing the previous record of 1.41 inches from February 3-4, 2012. Boulder received 9.1 inches of snow, Denver received 5.5 inches, and the lower foothills received a maximum of 20.3 inches. The storm's unique characteristics, including the lack of a cold air mass and the presence of a large-scale low-pressure system that pulled in moisture and warmth from a Pacific Ocean atmospheric river and from the Gulf of Mexico, made the storm one of rain instead of snow to start. The warmer air caused snowflakes falling from a sub-freezing cloud layer to melt and turn to rain before they hit the ground, which eventually cooled the air to the point of freezing, finally allowing for snowfall and accumulation. These factors and many more created significant forecasting uncertainty as to how much snow, or precipitation in general, would fall across northern Colorado. Weather models were highly volatile days in advance to hours before the storm due to the many different atmospheric variables in this storm’s setup. This weather event highlights the evolving nature of warmer winter storms in a warming climate.

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February 9, 2024 - CO, UT, WY

After a relatively wet January, snowpack conditions improved and are near-average in Utah (96%), slightly-below average in Colorado (87%) and below average in Wyoming (74%). Seasonal streamflow volume forecasts are below average for most locations except for northern Utah where forecasts predict average to slightly-above average seasonal streamflow. Regional coverage of drought remained steady at 15% and alleviation of some drought conditions in southwestern Colorado was offset by the development of drought in northern Wyoming. El Niño conditions are expected to continue through spring with above average precipitation and temperatures predicted for February.

Across the region, a patchwork of above and below average precipitation fell during January. Slightly-above average January precipitation was observed in northern Colorado, southern Wyoming and along the Wasatch Front and southwestern Utah. Much-above average January precipitation was observed in southeastern Colorado. Below average January precipitation, including large areas of less than 50% of average, fell in northeastern, south-central and northwestern Colorado and Utah and across all of northern Wyoming.

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January temperatures were generally above average in the southwestern portion of the region and below average in the northeast. In Colorado and Wyoming, January temperatures were above average on the west side of the Continental Divide and below average east of the Divide with temperatures as cold as 10 degrees below average. Utah temperatures were generally 2 to 4 degrees above average but the eastern Uinta Basin saw temperatures up to 10 degrees warmer than average.

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Regional snowpack at the end of January was a mix of near-normal and below normal conditions. Near-average snow water equivalent (SWE) was observed in northern Utah and northern Colorado. In southern Colorado, southern Utah and much of Wyoming, SWE was 70-90% of average. Snowpack in northeastern Wyoming and in the Yellowstone River Basin was much-below normal (50-70% average). Statewide SWE improved relative to average in Colorado (87%), Utah (96%) and Wyoming (74%).

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Regional April-July streamflow volume forecasts are generally below to much-below average, except northern Utah where streamflow forecasts are near to above average. In most locations, forecasted streamflow volume increased compared to the January 1st forecast. Streamflow forecasts are lowest for the Dolores, Duchesne and San Juan River Basins. The forecast for the inflow to Lake Powell is 74% of average.

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Total regional coverage of drought remains at 15% and unchanged since December. Drought development in northern Wyoming was balanced by drought improvement in southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado.

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El Niño conditions continue as ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific were 1.5–2 degrees Celsius above average. All ocean temperature models are projecting a steady cooling of ocean temperatures and there is a 70% chance of El Niño conditions continuing through spring (March-May). This summer, there is a 65% probability of neutral ENSO conditions but by fall, there is a 60% chance of La Niña conditions developing. The NOAA monthly outlook for February suggests an increased probability of above average precipitation for Colorado, Utah and eastern Wyoming and above average temperatures for the entire region. During February–April, the NOAA seasonal forecast suggests an increased probability of above average temperatures for northern Utah and Wyoming.

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January significant weather event: Early January storm cycles and avalanches. After a stormy early December in the West, very dry conditions prevailed across Colorado, Utah and Wyoming from December 10–January 4. Beginning on January 4 and lasting for 11 days, near-continuous storms impacted the Intermountain West and brought below and much-below average snowpacks to near-normal by January 15. River basins reached near-normal SWE conditions by January 15 including the Bear, Jordan, Yampa-White and Weber which received 3.5–5.5” of SWE. A few snotel sites in northern Utah received very high amounts of SWE from January 4–January 15 including 10.4” at Ben Lomond Peak near Ogden, 8.5” at Alta near Salt Lake City and 8.3” at Tony Grove Lake near Logan. With the combination of a month-long snow drought and the rapid addition of SWE to mountain snowpacks in Utah, extreme avalanche danger was forecasted for the entire Wasatch Mountain Range from Logan to Provo including the Wasatch Plateau in central Utah. It was extremely rare to see extreme avalanche danger over the entire Wasatch Mountain Range on a single day and not something that I have personally observed over the last 17 years. Extreme avalanche danger closed Little Cottonwood Canyon Road for 36 hours and avalanche mitigation efforts triggered numerous full-path avalanches that buried the road.

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