Data from the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service shows that out of approximately 70 river basins across the Western US, only five are at or above the 1991-2020 median snow water equivalent for this time of year.
The 2025-26 season is an enigma, with snowstorms and temperatures across the United States not following traditional weather patterns. The current situation for skiing and snowboarding has been flipped upside down. The East has been consistently receiving adequate snow, and more importantly, the temperatures have remained below freezing for months. The West is in the middle of a snow drought, with its worst season in 25 years, as rain and warmer temperatures have made conditions horrible for skiers and snowboarders.
WeatherDenver-based meteorologist Chris Tomer is one of the most accurate forecasters we know. Check out and subscribe to his mountain weather forecast videos to see where North America will get the most snow. On today's forecast from Tomer, he writes: "Storm track favors PNW/BC for best snow through 2/6, but also higher elevation rain/snow lines with warmer air." Meanwhile, the rest of the West experiences is beginning to appear as a snow drought and patiently waits for snow.
This image, acquired with the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA's Terra satellite, provides a wide view of meager western snow cover on January 15. On that day, measurements derived from satellite observations showed that snow blanketed 142,700 square miles (369,700 square kilometers) of the west. That's the lowest coverage for that date in the MODIS record dating back to 2001 and less than one-third of the median. Coverage had increased slightly by January 26.