Climate Disruption in the West: Less Snow

One of the most certain effects of climate change will be less snow in our mountains. 

The world's scientists report with “high confidence” that climate change will reduce snowpacks in the Rocky Mountains.

These changes are already underway. At most of 824 government snowpack measurement sites across the West, spring snowpack levels have declined since 1950. The greatest changes have been in lower-elevation areas, where warming of a few degrees more often makes the difference in below-freezing and above-freezing temperatures.

"Warming, and changes in the form, timing and
amount of precipitation, will very likely lead to earlier melting and significant reductions in snowpack in the western mountains [of North America] by the middle
of the 20th century (high confidence)."

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability (2007)