Photos: Snowpack in San Juan Mountains, May 2023
This page in our free multimedia library features aerial photos of the snowpack in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado.
The San Juans are mostly located in southwest Colorado...
Reading list: great snow journalism
If you’re looking for a crash course on snow and the Western snowpack, check out this great reporting, writing, and visual storytelling.
Why atmospheric rivers can be both harmful and helpful
These "rivers in the sky" can cause catastrophic flooding but are also critical for the West's snowpack
Water flux and toxic wells – Water Buffs Podcast ep. 12 – Kathy James
On this episode of Water Buffs, we examine how drought can harm human health, specifically how dramatic fluctuations in water availability can lead to increasingly toxic water supplies.
Helpful sites for tracking snow and the (subpar) snowpack
There’s no shortage of websites with maps and graphics visualizing snow forecasts and the state of the snowpack.
Staying safe with the Winter Storm Severity Index
This pragmatic tool from federal forecasters illustrates where snow, ice, and wind can be deadly and disruptive.
What to watch on the Colorado River in 2024
After years of dry conditions throughout the West, 2023 gave the region’s water managers the greatest gift of all: a hefty snowpack. What will 2024 bring?
Colorado River crisis — How did the nation’s two largest reservoirs nearly go dry?
Experts cite complicated operating systems, competing government agencies, rigid guidelines and climate change
Colorado squeezing water from urban landscapes
Pace of transition has accelerated, deepened and broadened
Scientists use simple cameras to answer complex questions about forests and the snowpack
“Snowtography” captures how the snowpack can vary dramatically across short distances