Rivers throughout the Roaring Fork Watershed are flowing below average at 52-90% of normal for this time of year. Several weeks of unseasonably warm and dry conditions mean snowpack in the watershed has not begun building in earnest. In terms of snowpack, this is the driest start to the winter season in nine years, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Dry conditions are also reflected in the U.S. Drought Monitor, which shows the Roaring Fork Watershed in a mix of moderate, severe, and extreme drought (levels 2, 3, and 4 of 5 intensity). According to National Drought Mitigation Center, the last time the Roaring Fork Watershed was drought free was January 2025! A silver lining may be in the horizon, as several days of precipitation and cooler temperatures are forecasted starting this Sunday.