… A lack of snow — known as a snow drought — grips much of the West as a result of the unusually high temperatures, even as winter reaches the midway point. Snow cover was less extensive than any Jan. 14 on record across the West, according to satellite-based measurements. … In California, the snowpack is proportionally worse below 6,500 feet than atop mountain peaks. While most Sierra ski resorts are at high elevations, low-elevation snow is critical for the ecosystem and water resources because it accounts for a larger area. … Drought conditions, while much improved in California, plague a third of the West, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The most extreme drought is concentrated in the headwaters of the Colorado River, which drains into Lake Powell and Lake Mead.

Other drought and water supply news around the West:

• The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.): Is California really 100% drought-free for the first time in 25 years? Yes and no. Here’s why.
• Townlift (Park City, Utah): Utah snowpack behind schedule as warm storms push snowlines higher
• National Integrated Drought Information System: News release: A hot, dry winter led to below-normal early winter snowpack; potential water supply impacts if snow does not arrive 
• Gov. Gavin Newsom: News release: California’s water resilience strategy shows major progress after winter storms: state out of drought, according to U.S. Drought Monitor​