The western US is in a snow drought, and storms have been making it worse
- Written by Alejandro N. Flores, Associate Professor of Geoscience, Boise State University
Skiers and snowboarders walk across dry ground to reach a slope at Bear Mountain ski resort on Dec. 21, 2025, in California.Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesMuch of the western U.S. has started 2026 in the midst of a snow drought. That might sound surprising, given the record precipitation from atmospheric rivers hitting the region in...
Read more: The western US is in a snow drought, and storms have been making it worse

