Colorado is grappling with a severe water crisis as snowpack levels plummet to record lows, posing a significant threat to the water supply across the US West. Hydrologists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service report that the state's snowpack is the lowest since 1941, with accumulations peaking a month early and containing only half the average moisture. This alarming situation is intensified by a warm winter and early spring heatwave, leading to rapid snowmelt and leaving only the highest elevations with snow cover.