snowpack

When it comes to water in the West, a lot of it is visible. Snow stacks up high in the mountains then eventually melts and flows down into valleys. It’s easy to see how heavy rains and rushing rivers translate into an abundance of available water. But another important factor of water availability is much harder to see.

Recent Utah snow storms have helped raise snowpack levels closer to normal, but prolonged drought conditions continue.

As wildfires rage throughout the West, funneling smoke through the Wasatch Front, leaders of Utah’s outdoor recreation industry met Tuesday to talk about…

The West’s water security is wrapped up in snow. When it melts, it becomes drinking and irrigation water for millions throughout the region. A high...

Utah’s water picture looks bright so far this year — a big snowpack is just one reason why — and forecasters say the stormy trend is likely to…

As skiers and snowboarders gear up for the season and what looks to be a snowy Thanksgiving weekend, snow safety forecasters are hoping this will be the…

Early season snowfall in some parts of the Colorado River Basin have raised hopes of a drought recovery. But that optimism is likely premature. In...

While Colorado and Utah are prepping for a severe wildfire season this year, Montana, Wyoming and northern Idaho have been counting their lucky stars...

A menace lurks beneath the snow high up in the southern Rocky Mountains. At first glance it seems innocuous, another piece of a dynamic alpine ecosystem...

A new report says climate change is hurting the ski industry, and a climate advocacy group says the Mountain West is particularly vulnerable.Protect Our…

Utah sees an average of four avalanche deaths a year.But this winter’s tally bucked the odds. It was the state’s first snow season in 26 years that no one…

Utah’s warm, dry winter means a measly snowmelt, and water-watchers are already writing off this water year as one of the state’s driest ever even though…