Utah’s snowpack is the lowest on record and peaked three weeks early this year.
Forecasters say snowmelt will outpace any new snow the state might receive, peaking March 9 at 8.4 inches. That’s about half of what the state typically receives by the beginning of April.
With the low snowpack, water managers say conservation is critical because the state will rely on existing reservoir storage to meet summer demand.
State reservoirs are, on average, 68% full. That’s higher than normal for this time of year but lower than the 80% recorded last year.
This winter has also been the warmest on record for Utah by more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Salt Lake City surpassed its previous record by 7 degrees.
Most of Utah is in some form of drought. The state has published a drought response plan with additional drought recommendations for residents and water providers.
