Trevor Hughes

Here across the West, we had an unusually dry and warm winter.

Right now, this time of year, we should have the most snowpack that we have all winter long.

You know, feet, feet, feet of snow in the mountains.

And instead, they're bare.

And what that means is that that vast frozen reservoir of snow won't be melting off this summer.

It effectively didn't arrive.

And so it means lakes and rivers will be much drier.

It means that reservoirs will be much lower.

And it means that there will be water restrictions across many, many states for millions and millions of Americans.

The McLaughlin family's experience is, I think, what we may see in the future.

Colorado, for a very long time, has depended heavily on ski tourism.

And if the long-term trends continue, which is warmer winters, drier winters, then we may see less and less skiing.

And that's what happened with the McLaughlin family.

Because the snow was so poor, they ended up just sort of hanging outside by a lake.

It was 70 degrees.

Everyone was in shorts and flip-flops.

Colorado is essentially, and Utah to a certain extent, vast reservoirs of frozen water that melt out all spring and summer and refill the Colorado River, pour into Lake Powell, pour into Lake Mead.

Those lakes generate electricity.

Lake Mead provides massive amounts of drinking water for Las Vegas.

And so if you don't have as much water, everything gets harder.