February 2025 Review

February was an active month with storms favoring California, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. These areas all received above-normal precipitation and some areas received above-average snowfall. However, some storms also brought heavy rain and wet snow (low snow-liquid ratios). 

There were also pockets of above-normal precipitation in Northern Utah and Northern Colorado, while areas further south across the Four Corners region saw fewer storms and ended up drier than average.

There is a sharp boundary in temperature for much of February with colder than normal temperatures across the Northwest and Northern Rockies (especially Montana), while temperatures were well above normal across the Southwest and Southern Rockies. 

Snowpack as of early March is a mixed bag across the West with above-normal snowpack currently over Oregon, Far Northern California, Western Idaho, and Central Montana.

Near normal snowpack is found across Northern Utah, Eastern Idaho, Western Wyoming, Western Montana, and Northern Colorado.

Snowpack is below normal across much of California, Washington, and Canada, and is well below normal across the Southwest. 

March 2025 Preview

March is expected to be an active month with a trough-dominant pattern likely over the West Coast through at least mid-month which will support frequent storms making landfall. 

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is projecting above-normal precipitation across the Sierra, Northwest, and Northern Rockies with below-normal precipitation across New Mexico. OpenSnow forecasters believe that Utah, Wyoming, and Northern/Central Colorado will also be favored for above-normal precipitation this month. 

NOAA is projecting below-normal temperatures over the West Coast, including the Cascades and Sierra, with equal chances for above or below-normal temperatures across the Rockies.

Thanks so much for reading! I will post the next monthly update in early March.

Alan Smith