SEATTLE — Washington state officials have declared a statewide drought emergency after a warm winter left mountain snowpack near record lows, raising concerns about water supplies, fish habitat, and wildfire risk heading into summer.
The Washington Department of Ecology said projected water supplies are likely to fall far short of the state’s summer demand, even though the state received 104% of normal precipitation from October to February.
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Much of that moisture fell as rain instead of snow, leaving Washington with about half of its usual snowpack. A long-term forecast calls for above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation through June.
“This is the fourth year in a row that part or all of Washington will be under a drought declaration, and it is the fourth statewide drought emergency since 2015,” the WDE said.
Seven of the past 10 years have seen drought in parts or all of the state.
“If you look at our mountains, the challenge we are facing is clear,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said. “We’re taking emergency action to protect fish, farmers and communities across Washington.”
Washington relies on mountain snow to build up over winter and melt gradually through spring and summer, helping to fill rivers and reservoirs. With insufficient snowpack, WDE warned that rivers will run low and water temperatures will rise, creating difficult conditions for fish and other aquatic species.
In Washington, drought is declared when there is less than 75% of the normal water supply, and there is the risk of undue hardship or impacts on water users and the environment.
WDE said low snowpack and the impacts of past droughts mean the entire state has met that threshold.
The impacts are expected to vary by region. WDE said some agricultural producers anticipate reducing irrigation or not planting some fields. Low streamflows and higher water temperatures could affect fish, and the low snowpack and early melt-off is raising concerns about wildfire risks.
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“Going into April with half of our usual snowpack is alarming,” said Casey Sixkiller, WDE’s director. “Without enough snow in the mountains, we must prepare for widespread shortages and challenges across our state. Issuing a drought emergency now helps water users prepare for what is likely to be a very difficult summer. This is becoming an all-too-common experience and is another example of how climate change is visibly reshaping our landscape.”
Snowpack has been a concern throughout the winter. In December 2025, heavy rains led to widespread flooding across the state. WDE said the storms helped fill some reservoirs, but warm rains wiped out most early winter snowpack, and much of the floodwater ultimately flowed to the ocean.
Winter storms in January and March brought heavy snow and helped build snowpack in some river basins, but frequent warm stretches reduced those gains. WDE said statewide temperatures between October and February were the third highest on record, dating to 1895, while snowpack averaged across the state as of late March was the fourth lowest in the past 40 years.
Karin Bumbaco, deputy state climatologist with the Washington State Climate Office at the University of Washington, said the remaining snow is expected to melt quickly as spring temperatures rise.
“Precipitation has been basically normal when averaged statewide, but it’s been really warm,” Bumbaco said. “After our warmest December on record, we finally began to build snowpack in early January before an extended mid-winter dry spell through early March stopped snow accumulation in its tracks.”
“Even the heavy snowfall in mid-March was not enough to make up multiple months of poor snowpack growth, and early spring warmth has melted much of those gains,” she said. “The weather progression this winter has lined up to deliver very challenging conditions going into spring and summer.”
WDE described the current situation as a “snowpack drought,” a more severe version of conditions seen in 2025, when the agency declared a drought in the Yakima River Basin in early April and expanded it in June to cover about half the state after unusually warm days triggered an early, rapid snowmelt.
As climate change raises winter temperatures, WDE said snowpack droughts are becoming more common. The agency said that in the 1990s, these conditions occurred about one in every five years on average, but today they happen about 40% of the time. By the 2050s, research projects that seven out of every 10 years will see snow droughts, on average.
Sixkiller said preparation and conservation will be key to minimizing impacts.
“Water is a precious resource, and we all have a role to play in protecting it,” Sixkiller said. “We need to plan ahead and work together so that we’re ready for a warmer future.”
The statewide declaration allows WDE to distribute drought emergency response grants and to expedite processing of emergency water right permits and transfer applications. WDE said it is making up to $3 million available in drought emergency response grants to eligible public entities to address water supply impacts from current drought conditions.
The agency said customers served by Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett water utilities planned for drought conditions early in the winter and do not anticipate impacts for their customers.
Elsewhere, the agency urged residents to check with local water utilities to learn what conservation measures may be in place.
