Snowfall is declining globally as temperatures warm because of human-caused climate change, a new analysis and maps from a NOAA climate scientist show.  But less snow falling from the sky isn’t as innocuous as just having to shovel less; it threatens to reinforce warming, and disrupt food and water for billions of people. … Less snow falling from the sky also means less snow piling up into snowpack — a deep, persistent cover of snow that accumulates during the winter. … The threat to water supplies from declining snow is most pronounced in climates subject to more extreme boom-and-bust cycles of precipitation, like the Mediterranean climate found in California and other parts of the American West.

Related articles: 

• Nature: California wildlife pays the cost of megafires
• Oregon Capital Chronicle: Climate change, drought, wildfires reduce value of private forestland in the West by billions
• Tahoe Daily Tribune: Debate on Tahoe forest health best practices continue on cusp of timber mill opening