An initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder

One year later: What the March 2019 avalanche cycle hints at on climate change

In studying what led to this historic avalanche cycle, snow scientists are identifying some elements — such as warmer temperatures, wetter air and snow, and more-intense storms — that are consistent with a warming climate.

Cloud seeding study validates ski industry staple

Cloud seeding disperses dust-sized silver iodide particles into clouds so that ice crystals can form on those particles and fall to the ground as snow.

Degrees of warming: Rising temperatures, shorter winters and a declining snowpack are impacting Aspen’s...

Pitkin County is warming, the number of frost-free days is increasing and snowpack is declining—all of which have myriad impacts on life in the Aspen area.

Photos: Colorado River headwaters flight, October 2019

This photo gallery features images shot during a Lighthawk flight to the Colorado River headwaters and surrounding areas. The flight began at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, proceeded...

Aspen joins water managers using new technologies to map mountain snowpack, predict streamflows

As a changing climate renders streamflow predictions less accurate, water managers are turning to new technologies for a clearer picture of what’s happening in their basin’s snowpack.

Data viz: explore our interactive dashboards for drought, precipitation and snowpack

These maps and visualizations let you interact with vital data on our water supply.
precipitation map ecowest

Map: monthly average precipitation

This map shows total rain and snowfall in the contiguous United States, every month from 1981 to the present. The map's color scale runs from white (no precipitation), to blue (significant precipitation) to red (intense...
Snowpack dashboard screenshot

Map: daily nationwide snowpack

This map shows daily snowpack estimates for the contiguous United States since October 2003. Using the dropdown menu above the chart – or clicking a state on the map...