where’s The Snow? a Brewing drought Crisis in Utah

For much of the country, 2026 has been a year of record-breaking winter weather. According to local weather station data compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nearly 1,000 single-day snowfall records were matched or broken nationwide last month. Notably, however, snow accumulation has been well below normal across parts of the Western United States. Abnormally dry conditions in the West are already presenting a number of immediate challenges – and if the drought continues through the winter, the longer-term consequences could prove catastrophic.

Utah stands out as one of the states hardest hit by the ongoing snow drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, over half of the state is in a moderate drought and nearly 40% is in a severe drought. The first sign of an unusual winter for Utah came in late 2025, when the average temperatures for the months of November and December were the highest in state history. Unseasonably warm air resulted in reduced snow accumulation – and conditions did not improve in January. 

Across Utah, weather stations that normally receive over a foot of snow in the month of January have yet to report any meaningful snowfall so far this year. The glaring absence of snow has taken a toll on the state’s ski resorts, many of which have reported a decline in customer volume as weather conditions have necessitated run closures and reliance on artificial snow.

But the most dire implications of the ongoing drought may not be realized for several months. According to Dr. McKenzie Skiles, director of the Snow Hydrology Research-to-Operations Laboratory at the University of Utah, Utah gets 95% of its water from snowpack runoff during the spring thaw. Currently, the state’s snowpack is just 62% of where it typically is at this time of year, a low-point not seen since record keeping began in 1980. If nothing changes, Utah and other parts of the West will likely face water shortages in the coming months. Such an outcome could lead to strict rationing and an active wildfire season. 

Using data from NOAA, Climate Crisis 247 identified the parts of Utah where the current drought could fuel severe water shortages. We reviewed data on total, cumulative snowfall in the month of January 2026 from dozens of weather stations across Utah and compared last month’s snowfall with normal snowfall volume in the month of January. We listed the 10 weather stations with the largest difference between snowfall in January 2026 and average snowfall in the month of January between 1991 and 2020. Only weather stations that reported a half inch of snow or less last month were considered. 

Among the weather stations on this list, total snowfall in January 2026 was anywhere between 7.7 and 19.8 inches below historical monthly norms. Limited snowfall is likely linked, in part, to higher temperatures. In many of these places, last month was over 4°F warmer than the local January norm. In most cases, warmer weather was enough to push average temperatures in January 2026 above freezing. 

10. Panguitch Weather Station – Garfield County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: 0.1 inches (7.7 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 31.2°F (7.5°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: Not reported
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 1

9. Escalante Weather Station – Garfield County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: 0.2 inches (8.7 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 35.4°F (4.5°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: Not reported
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 1

8. Cedar City Airport Weather Station – Iron County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: 0 inches (9.5 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 34.5°F (4.1°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: Not reported
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 0

7. Pleasant Grove Weather Station – Utah County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: 0.5 inches (11.0 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 35.9°F (3.6°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: 0 inches
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 1

6. BYU Provo Weather Station – Utah County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: <0.1 inches (12.5 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 36.9°F (4.4°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: 0 inches
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 0

5. Salt Lake City International Airport Weather Station – Salt Lake County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: <0.1 inches (12.7 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 35.3°F (3.9°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: 0 inches
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 0

4. Santaquin Chlorinator Weather Station – Utah County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: 0 inches (13.4 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 33.2°F (4.6°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: 0 inches
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 0

3. Cutler Dam Weather Station – Box Elder County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: 0.1 inches (13.5 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 31.2°F (7.0°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: Not reported
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 1

2. Spanish Fork Power House Weather Station – Utah County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: <0.1 inches (17.3 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 34.5°F (4.4°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: 0 inches
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 0

1. Bryce Canyon National Park HQ Weather Station – Garfield County, Utah

• Total snowfall in January 2026: <0.1 inches (19.8 inches less than local January norm)
• Average temperature in January 2026: 28.1°F (1.2°F warmer than local January norm)
• Average snow depth in January 2026: 0 inches
• Days with measurable snowfall in January 2026: 0