Colorado Needs Epic Spring Snowfall to Salvage Dismal 2026 Snowpack

Only one spring on record would have been big enough to rescue Colorado's worst snowpack in 39 years.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Colorado's snowpack is currently tied for the worst on record as of February 2026, with the state's major river systems seeing dangerously low levels of accumulated mountain snow. While the weather pattern is expected to remain active through mid-March, forecasts indicate the snow will only be average, making it extremely unlikely the state will reach even median snowpack levels by the end of the season.

Why it matters

Colorado's snowpack is a critical water source for the state, feeding the major river systems that supply water for agriculture, industry, and residential use. With snowpack at record lows, there are major concerns about water availability and drought conditions throughout the state in the coming year.

The details

As of February 25th, Colorado's snowpack is tied with the 2001-2002 winter for the worst on record since measurements began in 1986-1987. While the state has seen some snow since February 10th, the forecasted storms through mid-March are only expected to produce average snowfall, not enough to bring the snowpack up to even median levels. In fact, an analysis of the last 38 spring snow seasons shows that only the epic spring of 1995 would have been capable of rescuing the current dismal snowpack levels.

  • As of February 25, 2026, Colorado's snowpack is tied for the worst on record since measurements began in 1986-1987.
  • A storm hitting on February 26 is expected to drop 6-12 inches of snow by February 27.
  • The weather pattern is forecast to remain active through mid-March, but the snow is only expected to be average during that time.

The players

Cory Reppenhagen

A meteorologist who analyzed Colorado's snowpack data and historical spring snow seasons.

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What they’re saying

“If you take each of the last 38 spring snow seasons since 1987 and project those onto our current snowpack level, only one of those springs would be capable of getting Colorado snowpack back up to median. The spring of 1995 Part II would be epic but unlikely.”

— Cory Reppenhagen, Meteorologist (Twitter)

The takeaway

Colorado is facing a dire situation with its snowpack levels, which are the worst on record in nearly 40 years. Unless the state sees an epic spring snowfall on the scale of 1995, which is highly unlikely, the state's major water sources will remain dangerously depleted, threatening agriculture, industry, and residential use throughout the year.