Snowmelt

Right now, high mountain snow is melting fast. You can see it starting to overflow rivers all over Idaho, including the Boise and Snake River. And that water is filling streams and reservoirs that are part of the Colorado River system, a lifeline for tens of millions of people in the west. But some of that snow is disappearing before it melts.

Despite some cold snaps, this winter season has been unusually warm for Idaho. The National Weather Service reports this year’s El Niño weather pattern might signal an upcoming drought.

A new study out of the University of Colorado Boulder shows that less snow is falling and snow is melting earlier in the Mountain West, a trend that has big implications for agricultural, wildfire risk and water supplies.

Right now, high mountain snow is melting fast. You can see it starting to overflow rivers all over Idaho, including the Boise and Snake River. And that water is filling streams and reservoirs that are part of the Colorado River system, a lifeline for tens of millions of people in the west. But some of that snow is disappearing before it melts.

New research published in the journal Nature Climate Change finds that snow is melting earlier – often in the winter. That’s a bad sign for the Mountain…

It’s no secret that wildfires are getting worse in the West. They’re threatening lives, homes and ecosystems. And they are also threatening our…

Reporter Roundtable.Wildfires and snowmelt in the West.World War II planes come to Nampa.-It’s time for our Reporter Roundtable, where we get you up to…

The Boise River, which has been over flood stage for months, will drop below that level Thursday. The river has dropped dramatically this week.The Bureau…

The Boise River is rising again, to what officials say will be the highest levels so far this year.Flows from the Lucky Peak Dam will go up Friday…