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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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A renowned meteorologist recently shared a dire message about the state of the upper Colorado River watershed, which is composed of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, amid a prolonged snow drought across the region.
"Even with average snow the rest of the season, we will NEVER make up the deficit in the upper Colorado River watershed," The Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore posted on X on Friday morning. "This could have serious power and water ramifications going forward."
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The post comes as a series of Pacific storms is poised to deliver a dramatic shift in the West’s weather pattern this weekend and into next week, with forecast models projecting as much as 10 feet of snowfall across high‑elevation terrain from the Sierra Nevada to the central Rockies. The incoming storms mark a sharp turn from the region’s prolonged dry stretch and persistent snow deficits in states like California, Utah and Colorado, where low snowpack has raised concerns about water supply heading into spring.
"Prior to this week, the amount of water locked up in the existing snow cover was close to a record minimum in Colorado and Utah. This zone constitutes a large part of the Colorado River basin, and with limited spring runoff available, it could be a major problem for summer water concerns on the river and man-made lakes," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson told Newsweek in an email sent to reporters.
The Upper Colorado River watershed is deep into a long‑running drought that has steadily reduced the river’s natural flows, a trend scientists attribute to declining precipitation, rising temperatures and increased water demands. Recent years have brought across much of the Upper Basin decreases in spring snowpack, which is critical because 80 percent of the river’s water comes from mountain snowpack, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The state of the upper Colorado River watershed significantly influences the lower Colorado River watershed as well, which is composed of California, Arizona and Nevada.
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With less snow accumulating—and melting earlier in the season—the watershed delivers lower and less reliable runoff to Lake Powell, Lake Mead and downstream users. The diminished flows strain water supplies for states already facing allocation pressures under the century‑old Colorado River Compact, intensifying concerns about hydropower reliability, agricultural productivity and long‑term regional water security.
However, even if snowfall returns to average levels in the coming weeks, a full recovery of the snowpack is unlikely. In his post, Cantore shared a graph depicting the snow water equivalent in the watershed. As of Friday, the upper Colorado River watershed snowpack was only 26 percent of median. Levels typically peak in late April, and even with maximum projections, the snow water equivalent doesn't appear as though it will be able to fully overcome the deficit of the dry winter to date.
Snow Drought In The West
Denver, Colorado, did not see its first snowfall of the season until November 29, 2025, which was the second-latest first snowfall in the city's history. Earlier this month, meteorologists shared that Marianna, Florida, a town that typically doesn't see any snowfall during an average winter, had received 13 times as much snow as Salt Lake City, Utah, so far this winter.
Winter Storm To Bring Snow This Weekend
Many states across the West are expecting high chances of snow over the weekend and into next week, according to winter weather outlook maps from the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center.
States with the highest chance of experiencing at least minor impacts from the incoming winter storms on Monday include California, Nevada and Utah. The most concentrated area of impacts looks to be along the Sierra Nevada in California, which is showing an above 95 percent chance of minor winter weather effects.
Chances spread further on Tuesday, hitting at least 60 percent for 10 states in the West. Those expecting the highest chances of impacts include California, Utah and Colorado, which have pockets expecting at least 90 percent chances of minor impacts from the storm.
As of Friday afternoon, winter weather advisories had been issued across parts of New Mexico and Colorado. Other NWS offices have published hazardous weather outlooks warning of potential impacts from the incoming storms, but total snowfall amounts remain to be seen.
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