With Spring Heatwaves, Rapid Melt, April 1 May No Longer Be Reliable Benchmark For Evaluating Snowpack Levels, Western Water Supplies

Snow-capped mountains aren’t just scenic – they also provide natural water storage by creating reservoirs of frozen water that slowly melt into watersheds throughout the spring and summer months. Much of the Western U.S. relies on this process to renew and sustain freshwater supplies, and new research underscores the impacts of extreme weather conditions on this annual cycle.