Mitch Tobin

Co-director @TheWaterDesk at the University of Colorado Boulder and author of @snownewsnow, a free newsletter on snow, climate, and water.

[snow.news @snownewsnow]

Late-season storms brought much-needed moisture to parts of the West, but they didn’t come close to erasing the deficit.

New at https://t.co/FcJMIUWp8X: update on snow drought and remembering my dad, who helped inspire my love of journalism and weather.

https://t.co/HmLCWSsPO1

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

April 1 is a key milestone for the West’s snowpack.

This year’s data paint a disturbing portrait of the historic snow drought.

Eight states are at record lows for snow water equivalent.

My latest post at https://t.co/ykeFXS5w0c:

https://t.co/d13q6tXKPs

[snow.news @snownewsnow]

When the West’s snowpack is meager—or entirely missing—it underscores how much we depend on this seasonal accumulation of ice crystals, even during the summer and far beyond the region.

https://t.co/0yMUpeTDVF

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

More grim news about the West's snow drought:

🛰️ Lowest Feb. 1 snow cover in the satellite record (since 2001)

📉 Record-low Feb. 1 snowpack in Oregon, Colorado, and Utah

⚠️ “A Dry, Warm January Leaves the West With the Worst Snowpack in Decades”

https://t.co/LDg2RbvSQg

[Maven @MavensNotebook]

The American West’s snowpack is valuable for many reasons, but can its worth be calculated in dollars and cents? And how is climate change affecting that value? #cawater https://t.co/VQoVbGGp5q

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

I summarized 5 scientific studies that examine how climate change is reshaping the Winter Olympics.

New post at https://t.co/ykeFXS5w0c also includes an update on the West’s meager snowpack.

https://t.co/VorlL1LfAX

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

NASA: Western U.S. snow cover is tracking at record-low levels for January, based on satellite observations dating back to 2001.

https://t.co/BWcAjc1i2y

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

@TheMonkBob Seriously. Grateful to see it all the way down here.

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

Tonight's #northernlights and the Milky Way near Durango, Colorado.

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

A recent study argues for monitoring the West’s snowpack at strategic hotspots—rather than mapping entire basins—but it has sparked pushback from supporters of airborne snow monitoring.

My latest for The Water Desk unpacks the science and implications:

https://t.co/9xq7Y8gxpH

[snow.news @snownewsnow]

The American West could sure use some snow.

The snowpack in seven states is below 50% of normal.

It's still early in the season, but there's a lot of catching up to do.

More details at https://t.co/FcJMIUWp8X:

https://t.co/jkJ9YVCGl6

[Water Hub @water_hub]

#Snowpack in the west is key for downstream water sources, but the region's supply is vulnerable to #ClimateChange. Check out this visual explainer from @MitchTobin for @TheWaterDesk: https://t.co/TFCBPfTIuQ

[WWA @WWAnews]

“The changes to #snow and snowpack are changes that we have more confidence in than just about any other water parameter because of the direct effect of warming on snowpack and snow precipitation,” says WWA Water Resources Specialist, Liz Payton. #climate https://t.co/xjaXWxI8jN

[Justin Pflug @pflug_justin]

Snow water resources and water security are threatened by climate change. Check out this article by @TheWaterDesk, which summarizes and contextualizes the present-day and future climate impacts on Western US water from our Water Chapter in #NCA5.

https://t.co/Ukwln30KHd

[snow.news @snownewsnow]

New post at https://t.co/FcJMIUVRjp explores atmospheric rivers and explains why they can be both helpful and harmful.

Scientists expect climate change will intensify these far-reaching weather events.

https://t.co/Z9nGGlHDNi #cawx #snowpack #flooding #AtmosphericRiver

[Colorado Basin RFC @nwscbrfc]

Compared to 2023, the current water year might seem underwhelming. Despite overall drier conditions compared to last year, several basins in the CBRFC area are either nearing or at normal SWE levels for this time of year. #utwx #cowx #drought

[WWA @WWAnews]

Mitch Tobin from @snownewsnow highlighted our Intermountain West Climate Dashboard!

"My favorite sites for tracking snow and the (subpar) snowpack." https://t.co/7DNXV7QYEy

#climate #weather #water #precipitation #temperature #snow #streamflow #drought #sciencecommunication

[Mitch Tobin @MitchTobin]

The West's snowpack is looking better thanks to recent storms, but many basins are still below the median for snow water equivalent.

[snow.news @snownewsnow]

New post at https://t.co/FcJMIUVRjp explores the Winter Storm Severity Index, a helpful forecast that visualizes where snow, ice, and wind are expected to cause problems.

https://t.co/P4dWcKyU4b #wxtwitter #skiing #snowboarding #snowpack

[NIDIS Drought.gov @NOAADrought]

First 2023-24 Snow Drought Update

Snow drought is most prevalent in the N. Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and parts of the Lower CO and Rio Grande River Basins.

Storms have benefitted the Northwest and Great Basin, but warm snow drought is a concern.

https://t.co/7sJSzsyIR4 @NOAA