A stunning heatwave that shattered records in the US west is threatening to rapidly melt the sparse snowpack and ramp up wildfire risks in the seasons ahead. … This heatwave is also posing significant threats to the water supply. After one of the warmest winters in the west, the snow that feeds streams, reservoirs and soil moisture as it melts through the summer season is already dismally scarce in key watersheds. … “Anomalous warmth and historic snow drought will still lead to ecological and wildfire-related impacts as soon as this spring, and possibly wider water challenges by late summer and beyond,” climate scientist Daniel Swain said. 

Other snowmelt and heat wave news around the West:

• The Salt Lake Tribune: Record heat is fast-tracking Utah’s already dire water outlook
• Santa Fe New Mexican: Temperatures in New Mexico to hit record high this week as snowpack hits record low
• FOX5 (Las Vegas): Nevada’s state climatologist warns of ‘uncharted territory’ as snowpack drops to historic lows
• Wyoming News Now (Cheyenne): Record heat causing snowpack levels to drop across Wyoming
• Active NorCal (Redding, Calif.): Sierra snowmelt is running two months early and Northern California water managers are racing to keep up
• KQED (San Francisco): ‘Yikes’: Bay Area heat lingers, Sierra Nevada snowpack melting fast
• San Francisco Chronicle: Here’s when California’s hot, dry spell could end — and why rain may not be enough
• John Fleck at Inkstain: Blog: A freakish heat wave – a statistical wonder