“The frequency of snowpack droughts in Washington is increasing – so we also need to continue planning for our long-term water supply needs,” Mellor said in a statement.

Water shortages are being driven largely by depleted snowpack levels, Jimmy Norris, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Ecology, wrote in an email.

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) is expanding its drought emergency to include some of Western Washington's most populous counties. Previously centered around Yakima ...

Snow banks help plants thrive in the mountains, providing water and nutrients for soil. ... The last bit of snow on Mount Washington in Tuckerman's Ravine, June 2024.

Last month, Western Washington saw less than half an inch of precipitation (0.42 inches, to be precise), marking the fifth driest June on record. Drought conditions now cover more than half the state ...