Record snow drought persists in New Mexico and across the West, despite recent precipitation

Scientists predict snow pack in the Rio Grande Basin won’t exceed 10% of the median throughout the rest of the winter.

By: Patrick Lohmann

Outlets: Source New Mexico

Published: February 23, 2026

Words: 591

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 3 days ago


Body Text Preview

Record high winter temperatures and ongoing snow drought are leaving New Mexico with a fraction of its typical snow pack and at higher risk of wildfire, even after accounting for February storms, according to a recent briefing from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists.

Like the rest of the West, the state is experiencing a record snow drought resulting from above-average temperatures since November. New Mexico and nine other states experienced the warmest …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Register for Free Log in

© 2025 Plucky Works LLC