Colorado snowfall totals 202211/30/2023 ![]() Coloradans can expect storms to continue feeding the snowpack over the next 10 days or so, according to Hatchett. In the short term, though, this weather certainly isn’t bad news. The likelihood of consistently exceptional precipitation over the long term is low, he admitted. “To get out of those problems, we’re going to really need not just one year, but back-to-back, probably three or four years of really good winters,” he said. Otherwise, in the big picture, nothing will change. However, for a drought-stricken state like Colorado to recover substantially and replenish local reservoirs, consistent improvement in precipitation over the long term has to happen, Hatchett said. He’s also glad to see the Rocky Mountains with less drought, since their runoff sustains so many downstream communities in the western U.S. Benjamin Hatchett, a hydrometeorologist with the Nevada-based Desert Research Institute, said it was very encouraging to see areas with more severe drought classification improve on the Drought Monitor, even if they didn’t lose classification entirely. The problem is, it’s still only halftime.”ĭr. “This would be like the Broncos being at 14-nothing at halftime,” Bianchi said. ![]() These early-season precipitation levels are not a definitive sign, especially not for communities on the Front Range, he said. The heart of Colorado’s wet season, from late February to the start of spring, will have a much greater impact on drought conditions and wildfire risk for the rest of the year, he said. For now, he said, the winter is at least off to a promising start.īianchi is also waiting to see what the coming months bring. Experts will know much more by April, when total snowpack accumulation is clearer and they can predict water levels in the rivers more accurately. When it comes to predicting drought conditions later in the year, precipitation levels this early aren’t the best indicators, he said. Schumacher is still waiting to see what the rest of winter has in store. Colorado's drought has eased, but experts brace for rest of 2023 snow season Close
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