Where Is the Snow in Colorado? Colorado Snowfall Trends Explained
- Megan Banich
- Dec 26, 2025
- 5 min read
Written December 26th 2025 by Megan Banich
Where is the snow in Colorado? A lot of people living here are asking that question right now, and the numbers back it up. The winter of 2025 going into 2026 has been unusually dry — in Boulder, we’ve gotten about 9–10 inches total since mid-October (BoulderCAST had Boulder at 9.4" for the season as of December 4, and we stayed in an extended warm/dry pattern through Christmas week). Many mountains that are normally white by now are still brown or only lightly dusted — and even major ski areas are running behind, with Vail’s back bowls/Blue Sky Basin closed and Loveland sitting 2–3 feet below normal total snow for this point in the season, according to local reporting. Snowpack across Colorado is also way below normal statewide — about 54% of the median on December 26, 2025 — and that impacts skiing, water supply, and unfortunately Colorado agriculture land as less mountain snowpack usually means less dependable spring/summer runoff.
Where is the snow in Colorado supposed to come from? Colorado is a semi-arid state, which means we don’t get much rain. Most of our water comes from snow that builds up in the mountains during winter and slowly melts in spring and summer. When snow doesn’t fall or melts too early, rivers run lower and soil dries out faster. Snowpack is like a savings account for water, and this year, that account is running low.
Colorado winters used to be predictable. Snow would stack up in the mountains, stay put through the cold months, and slowly melt into rivers and soil when spring arrived. Long-term Colorado snowfall trends show that this pattern is changing. As winters get warmer, more storms fall as rain instead of snow, especially at lower and middle elevations. Rain moves off the landscape quickly because much of Colorado’s soil is compacted and clay-heavy, which limits how easily water can soak into the ground. Snow, on the other hand, stays in place and melts slowly, allowing moisture to seep into soil and feed streams over time. This shift makes it harder for Colorado to store water naturally and increases drought risk later in the year.
Storms That Never Arrive: Where Is the Snow in Colorado? One reason storms keep missing Colorado is a weather pattern called high pressure. High pressure acts like a lid in the sky, pushing storms north or south instead of letting them reach the state. When this happens, Colorado stays warmer and drier than normal. The Colorado Climate Center explained that recent outlooks showed a “70 to 80 percent chance of above-average temperatures,” which makes it harder for snow to build up even when storms do pass through.
Right now, we are in a La Niña winter pattern, not El Niño. NOAA stated, “La Niña is expected to continue through the winter season.” La Niña can send storms into the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies more often, while Colorado sees fewer direct hits. That combination of high pressure, warmer air, and La Niña helps explain why people keep asking, "where is the snow in Colorado," even while other regions get more snow.
What Is Snow Looking Like In Colorado For The 2026 Season? Snowfall predictability for 2026 is uncertain, and scientists explain why. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center stated, “Seasonal outlooks favor warmer-than-average temperatures across much of the western United States.” Warmer winters don’t mean no snow at all, but they do mean snow can arrive later, melt sooner, or fall unevenly across the state.
When snowpack starts the season low, it becomes harder to catch up. The Natural Resources Conservation Service reported that “Colorado snowpack is well below the median for this time of year.” That makes planning harder for water managers, farmers, and wildfire crews, because snow is less reliable as a long-term water source.
What Does This Mean For Native Species? Colorado’s unpredictable snow and warmer winters are changing how wildlife survives across the state. When snow arrives late or melts early, animals like elk and deer can migrate at the wrong time, which affects their access to food and shelter. Warmer winters can also keep bears active longer instead of hibernating, increasing the chance of encounters with people. Colorado Parks and Wildlife explains that “changes in temperature and snowpack can disrupt migration, hibernation, and breeding patterns for many species.” Animals that rely on snow for camouflage, such as snowshoe hares, are more visible to predators when snow cover is missing.
Lack of snow also affects how much energy animals must use to survive. The U.S. Geological Survey notes that “changes in snow cover can increase energy demands on wildlife by reducing access to food and protection.” When animals burn more energy searching for food or water, they have less energy for growth and reproduction. Over time, these changes can weaken animal populations and disrupt natural life cycles, showing that snow loss affects far more than winter recreation — it directly impacts the health and balance of Colorado’s ecosystems. In many cases, this becomes an unfortunate example of natural selection, where only animals that can quickly adapt survive, while others struggle or disappear from the landscape.
What Does This Mean For Our Ecosystem and Agriculture? Colorado agriculture depends on snow because it slowly melts and feeds rivers and soil, and Denver Water explained, “About 80 percent of Colorado’s water supply comes from mountain snowpack.” When there is less snow, farms have less water later in the year, soils dry out faster, and crops become more stressed. This also adds pressure to the Colorado River system, which is already facing long-term water shortages across the West.
Native plants and forests are affected just as deeply. The Colorado State Forest Service stated, “Warmer and drier conditions increase stress on forests and make them more vulnerable to insects, disease, and wildfire.” When forests burn or dry out repeatedly, they may struggle to regenerate, meaning trees can take much longer to grow back—or fail to return at all. This loss of forest cover affects animals that depend on trees for shelter, food, and nesting, while warmer, lower streams stress fish and aquatic species. Grasslands, wetlands, and riparian areas also rely on steady moisture, so when snow is missing, entire ecosystems can shift, reducing biodiversity and altering the balance that supports Colorado’s wildlife and landscapes.
Where Is the Snow in Colorado If Warming Continues Long-Term? If warming continues, Colorado’s landscape could shift from a semi-arid, snow-fed climate to a more arid grassland and shrubland climate, according to Colorado climate scientists. Scientists at the University of Colorado noted that after large wildfires, forests may “fail to regrow and instead convert to grasslands” under hotter and drier conditions. That means some areas may never return to the forests people remember.
In a semi-arid state like Colorado, snow is more than winter scenery. It controls rivers, soil health, farming, forests, and wildfire risk. If snow continues to decline, the question where is the snow in Colorado becomes a question about what Colorado looks like in the future.
Citations:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Climate Prediction Center https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov
Climate.gov – Snowpack and Western Water Supply https://www.climate.gov
National Integrated Drought Information System (Drought.gov) https://www.drought.gov
U.S. Drought Monitor https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu
Colorado State University Climate Center https://climate.colostate.edu
Sustainability Colorado State https://sustainability.colostate.edu/humannature/changing-snowpack-is-altering-colorados-environment/
Visit Boulder https://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/things-to-do/winter-activities-in-boulder/things-to-do-in-boulder-before-winter-is-over/
Comments