The snow season has been lacking in the western United States.

That region is considered to be in a snow drought. Snow drought happens when the snow water equivalent (SWE) drops below the 20th percentile. 

Satellite has been used to analyze snow cover for over 20 years. January’s average snow cover in the west is now ranked last in that time period, with just 34% of the area covered in snow. 

Looking at February’s numbers, snow cover for the western United States was at 139,322 square miles as of February 1. This is the lowest ever noted since satellite records began in 2001, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS).

A couple of different factors that go hand in hand are contributing to the snow drought. These include record warmth along with warmer temperatures bringing rain instead of snow to the western region of the United States. 

January’s weather conditions only added to the evolving drought as a majority of states in the west received 50% or less of normal precipitation. Above average temperatures during the month and sunshine also contributed to additional melt of the existing snowpack. NIDIS notes that January is a crucial month for snowfall in the region as January tends to have significant snow accumulation for the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies. 

NIDIS says that the next couple of months will be crucial for making up snowfall deficits, but large snowfall totals could help to “reduce impacts” across the region.