Winter 2025/2026 Snow and Wx Report
The information I am about to provide is non-biased, science-based data. This is not opinion nor prediction. I cannot tell you when peak will be, nor what it will look like. All I can do is present the data.
The numbers are in. We have officially past the historic peak snowpack date, we are well into Spring, and the data has officially been crunched. All metrics indicate the 2025/2026 winter was the warmest winter on record, with the lowest snowpack ever recorded.
For those of us who like to geek out on statistics and acronyms, continue reading.
The tracking of water in the west, in the form of snowpack, has been a priority of the US and State governments, municipalities and the end users since the beginning of last century. We now have all this data at our fingertips on the daily. I try to bring you the important data in the daily Poudre Rock Report. The snowpack data primarily comes from three sources: SNOWTEL, SWC, and Aerial.
The following statistics have been compiled from those three sources and the National Weather Service:
Historic Temperatures
• The average temperature for the December–February period was 33.6˚F, which is more than 8˚F above the 20th-century average.
Record Scope:
• This was the warmest winter on record for Colorado, with 49 counties setting individual records. It was also one of nine states in the West to experience its warmest winter on record.
Impacts:
• The warm, dry conditions resulted in below-average snowpack, significant impacts on ski operations, and increased concerns regarding water supply and wildfire risk.
Denver Specifics:
• Denver experienced its second-warmest winter on record and set a new record for the highest number of 60˚F days in a winter.
Cause:
• Researchers attribute the record-breaking warmth to a combination of a persistent ridge of high pressure, a weak La Niña, and a long-term warming climate.
Record Low Snowpack
“It’s now safe to conclude that this has been the worst year for Colorado snowpack in recorded history.” – Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher (April 2026)
All three methods of measurement of SWE were consistent. Here are some alarming stats from the SWC:
• 64 total sites across the mountains
• 30 sites either tied or had lowest measurements
• 18 of those sites had no snow at all
• None of these sites had ever been snowless at this date before
• Five of these snowless sites never had less than 5”SWE on this date before
Definitions:
SWE (Snow Water Equivalent) is the depth of liquid water that would result if all the snow in a snowpack melted instantly. It measures the actual water content within the snow, rather than just the snow’s depth, and is expressed in inches or millimeters. It is critical for predicting water supply, forecasting floods, and managing reservoirs.
• My observation- The SWE is typically 1/3 (+/-) of the total snow depth.
• For example, let’s look at yesterday’s SWE at Joe Wright:
• The SWE was 5.6” with total snow depth of 16”
• This has been fairly consistent with a minor over/under.
SNOTEL (Snow Telemetry) is an automated system operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that monitors snowpack, precipitation, and temperature in the mountainous regions of the Western U.S. Using pressure-sensitive “pillows” and sensors, these remote stations provide real-time data, primarily focusing on Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)—the amount of water contained within the snowpack—to forecast water supplies and manage resources.
SWC (Snow Water Course) is a permanently marked line or area in the mountains where trained technicians take consistent, monthly, manual measurements of snow depth and water content (Snow Water Equivalent or SWE). These ground-based measurements are used, along with automated SNOTEL stations, to forecast spring runoff for water supply and irrigation, with data compiled by the NRCS.
ASO (Airborne Snow Observatory) An aerial snow monitoring tool that provides precise measurement of depth and water content for every square meter of snow in a watershed.
Opinion:
Boaters, the 2025/2026 was a bleak snow season.