What Low Snowpack Could Mean for Water and Wildfire Risk in Northern Colorado

If you feel like we haven't seen a lot of snow so far this winter, well, you are correct.

And Northern Colorado in particular could be in for a bumpy season ahead if Mother Nature doesn't do her thing in the coming months to make up for how far we are behind. The state of Colorado ended 2025 with a well-below average snowpack, raising concerns about water supply and a significant wildfire risk across Larimer and Weld Counties as a result.

Get our free mobile app

According to data from the Colorado Snow Survey Program and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, snowpack across the state is significantly lower than normal for this time of year. Water managers say that means reduced spring runoff, a lower water supply but worse, much drier conditions headed into our typical fire season.

Obviously the cities of Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley, in addition to the county governments are closely monitoring the conditions. While our reservoirs are currently in good shape, officials say a lack of snowfall this season could impact how much of that water is allocated toward things like irrigation or usage within the city limits, like watering your lawn, etc.

Related: Northern Colorado On Edge As Wind, Fire and Power Outage Risks Collide

Climate and water experts at Colorado State University say that snowpack is the state's most critical water source, and getting back to the level we need depends entirely on whether or not the first few months of 2026 bring us the snow we've been missing.

For now, while everyone says it's too early to predict worse case scenarios, they do say it would be smart to plan ahead for fire season, especially if you live in the mountains or foothills, by clearing out as much dry or dead vegetation from around structures as you can, etc. It's never too soon to prepare!

Meanwhile, we can all do a little snow dance to see if Mother Nature can catch us up!