Snow cover across the West was the lowest December 7 snow cover amount in the MODIS satellite record (since 2001), at 90,646 square miles. … Snow drought is most severe across much of the Sierra Nevada in California, the Cascade Range in Washington and Oregon, the Blue Mountains of Oregon, and the Great Basin in Nevada, with snow water equivalent (SWE) in most of these basins at less than 50% of median. Rain across the West increased soil moisture and reservoir levels. However, the continued above-normal temperatures forecast across the West may worsen snow drought conditions.

Other snow drought news around the West:

• Source New Mexico: ‘Snow drought’ observed across the West, amid higher-than-average winter temps
• Aspen Public Radio (Colo.): Climate change makes snowmaking a necessity, not a backup, for the West’s ski resorts
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Climate change is stealing rain and snow from the Colorado River
• The Hill: La Niña likely for next month, NOAA says. Here’s what it means for winter weather