Snowpack is below average in Southern Colorado so far this season

Snowpack in Southern Colorado’s mountains is below average so far this year. The measurements refer to the accumulation of snow in the mountains. It affects how much water flows in rivers during the spring and summer and more.

The snowpack in the Upper Rio Grande River Basin in the San Luis Valley is currently at 63 percent of normal, while the Arkansas River Basin stands at 72 percent. That’s according to the federal agencies that monitor and forecast weather and climate trends.

Levels in the southwest part of the state are also low, while the northern river basins are close to normal.

Spring precipitation forecasts for the whole state are leaning below average, with above-average temperatures. In Southern Colorado, drought is likely to continue or develop.

Scroll through the maps below to see trends and forecasts for snowpack, seasonal precipitation, temperatures and drought intensity:

A map showing current snowpack conditions around Colorado.

Seasonal precipitation outlook from March 20, 2025 provided by the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center.

Seasonal temperature outlook from March 20, 2025 provided by the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center.

Drought Intensity Map for Colorado from April 3, 2025. The U.S. Drought Monitor is produced through a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

• Nearly $25 million in federal funding expected to flow into the Upper Rio Grande River Basin to help address drought
• Perspectives on water after 30 years of talking about it in the Arkansas River Basin
• Southern Colorado metro areas susceptible to higher temperatures and more heat advisories