Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says concerns over record warmth and the low snow pack prompted his decision to activate the state’s Drought Task Force on Tuesday. The task force will study drought conditions statewide and report on their effects on farmers, cities, and other areas. … Activating the Drought Task Force is phase two of the state’s Drought Response Plan. They’ll monitor snowpack, precipitation, temperature, streamflow, soil moisture and reservoir storage. If conditions worsen, the state will move into phase three. The governor will declare an official drought, and water restrictions could be implemented.

Other drought and snowpack news around the West:

• Tahoe Daily Tribune (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.): ‘Miracle March’ unlikely as melting snowpack threatens short ski season
• E&E News by Politico: Colorado River forecast goes from bad to worse
• Arizona Daily Star (Tucson): 4 key things to know as heat wave shrinks Colorado River flow forecasts
• Craig Press (Colo.): Colorado River forecast warns that just one-third of normal water could flow to Lake Powell
• Sky-Hi News (Granby, Colo.): Colorado activates drought task force as hope for snowpack recovery dwindles