A stunning heatwave that shattered records in the US west is threatening to rapidly melt the sparse snowpack and ramp up wildfire risks in the seasons ahead. There is little reprieve in forecasts, which show more heat records may fall this spring. This heatwave is also posing significant threats to the water supply. The record is just one degree shy of April’s heat record. Measurements of water amounts frozen within the snow were below the median at 91% of western stations by 8 March.

Source: The Guardian March 24, 2026 14:01 UTC