Then all hell broke loose.
What looked like a promising water year quickly dried up.
An extremely warm, dry April, May and June combined with the fourth consecutive year of Colorado missing out on July monsoon moisture set the stage for the largest wildfire season in state history.
This year s statewide snowpack was just 77% of average as of Monday.
While the South Platte Basin, which includes Fort Collins and Denver, was at 96% of average Monday, the drought-stricken Western Slope remains exceptionally dry with none of the basins reaching 80% of average.
And that has caused great concern.
Much of the state is still facing some degree of drought from last year, with the Western Slope in extreme drought. Without the March 12-14 storm that dumped 2 to 4 feet of wet snow in the foothills and mountains east of the Continental Divide and soaked the Eastern Plains with inches of rain, the drought and wildfire situation would be dire.
Melting Snow Usually Means Water For The West But This Year, It Might Not Be Enough
whqr.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from whqr.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Melting Snow Usually Means Water For The West But This Year, It Might Not Be Enough
boisestatepublicradio.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from boisestatepublicradio.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
by Michael Elizabeth SakasMay, 23 2021 (Weekend Edition Sunday / CPR News)
Colorado Snow Survey supervisor Brian Domonkos and civil engineer Madison Gutekunst of the USDA weigh snow to know how much moisture it holds on April 30, 2021. Image: Michael Elizabeth Sakas/CPR News
There s still snow in Colorado s mountains near the headwaters of the South Platte River, and Brian Domonkos has strapped on a pair of cross-country skis to come measure it.
He s the Colorado Snow Survey supervisor, and knowing how much snowpack is left from the winter to runoff into streams, rivers and reservoirs this summer is crucial, especially in a year when much of the West is in extreme drought. As it melts, the snowpack here will become the primary source of water for millions of people in Colorado and across the West.