Washington State has declared a statewide drought emergency following a warm winter that led to record low snowpack levels. The lack of snow is a major concern because it provides water during the dry summer months, and the current situation threatens agriculture, municipal water supplies, and the health of natural ecosystems. The state of emergency allows for the mobilization of resources and better coordination among state agencies to tackle the challenges. The primary cause is the unusually warm winter, where more precipitation fell as rain instead of snow, causing early snowmelt.