Mitch Tobin
@mitchtobin.bsky.social
Author of snow.news and co-director of waterdesk.org at the University of Colorado Boulder. I'm a Durango-based writer and multimedia journalist interested in snow science and the American West's snowpack.
Interesting graphic from NASA illustrates how the Milankovitch cycles change the Earth's motion and influence its climate.
science.nasa.gov/science-rese...
science.nasa.gov/science-rese...
November 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Interesting graphic from NASA illustrates how the Milankovitch cycles change the Earth's motion and influence its climate.
science.nasa.gov/science-rese...
science.nasa.gov/science-rese...
Rough start for Colorado's snowpack, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...
November 5, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Rough start for Colorado's snowpack, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...
www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...
And here's the total snowfall accumulation since October 1, 2024.
September 30, 2025 at 5:57 PM
And here's the total snowfall accumulation since October 1, 2024.
Today is the last day of the 2024-2025 Water Year.
This animation shows snow water equivalent from October 1, 2024, to June 1, 2025.
www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
This animation shows snow water equivalent from October 1, 2024, to June 1, 2025.
www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
September 30, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Today is the last day of the 2024-2025 Water Year.
This animation shows snow water equivalent from October 1, 2024, to June 1, 2025.
www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
This animation shows snow water equivalent from October 1, 2024, to June 1, 2025.
www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
It's great to see snow falling again in Colorado. This map shows accumulations over the past 14 days.
September 23, 2025 at 11:36 PM
It's great to see snow falling again in Colorado. This map shows accumulations over the past 14 days.
New snow drought update says the snowpack is "abysmal" in Arizona and New Mexico.
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
March 6, 2025 at 6:29 PM
New snow drought update says the snowpack is "abysmal" in Arizona and New Mexico.
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
"Exceptional snow drought persists in the Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah) as a result of record dry conditions."
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
February 5, 2025 at 10:44 PM
"Exceptional snow drought persists in the Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah) as a result of record dry conditions."
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
How Colorado’s snowpack is stacking up so far this season.
After a great November (salmon-colored), it’s been a lousy December (beige) for snow in the high country.
nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/awdb/basin-p...
After a great November (salmon-colored), it’s been a lousy December (beige) for snow in the high country.
nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/awdb/basin-p...
December 18, 2024 at 11:18 PM
How Colorado’s snowpack is stacking up so far this season.
After a great November (salmon-colored), it’s been a lousy December (beige) for snow in the high country.
nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/awdb/basin-p...
After a great November (salmon-colored), it’s been a lousy December (beige) for snow in the high country.
nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/awdb/basin-p...
December 16, 2024 at 10:00 PM
Bears around home over the years
December 16, 2024 at 2:50 AM
Bears around home over the years
Historical probability of at least 1 inch of snow cover on Christmas (1991-2020)
www.climate.gov/news-feature...
www.climate.gov/news-feature...
December 13, 2024 at 2:53 AM
Historical probability of at least 1 inch of snow cover on Christmas (1991-2020)
www.climate.gov/news-feature...
www.climate.gov/news-feature...
Durango ✈︎ Denver
December 10, 2024 at 3:17 AM
Durango ✈︎ Denver
30-minute exposure. The star trails are oriented around the north celestial pole. The cloudy area is the movement of the Milky Way.
December 2, 2024 at 2:22 AM
30-minute exposure. The star trails are oriented around the north celestial pole. The cloudy area is the movement of the Milky Way.
October 31, 2024 at 10:57 PM
Mountain lion in the front yard
October 28, 2024 at 12:59 AM
Mountain lion in the front yard
Fall storm made it feel like winter around Engineer Mountain, between Durango and Silverton.
October 23, 2024 at 2:11 AM
Fall storm made it feel like winter around Engineer Mountain, between Durango and Silverton.
New Winter Outlook released today by the Climate Prediction Center shows below-normal precip expected in southern-tier states due to the emerging La Niña and some drought development likely in the Southwest.
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
October 17, 2024 at 11:32 PM
New Winter Outlook released today by the Climate Prediction Center shows below-normal precip expected in southern-tier states due to the emerging La Niña and some drought development likely in the Southwest.
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
www.noaa.gov/news-release...
Aspen changing in the San Juan National Forest, near Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
October 14, 2024 at 12:03 AM
Aspen changing in the San Juan National Forest, near Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Milky Way above SW Colorado. Grateful for the dark skies and being ~2 miles above sea level.
October 14, 2024 at 12:02 AM
Milky Way above SW Colorado. Grateful for the dark skies and being ~2 miles above sea level.
Northern Lights in Southern Colorado
October 11, 2024 at 3:41 AM
Northern Lights in Southern Colorado
How the U.S. Drought Monitor changed during the previous water year in the Intermountain West
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
October 10, 2024 at 10:58 PM
How the U.S. Drought Monitor changed during the previous water year in the Intermountain West
www.drought.gov/drought-stat...
FWIW, here are all the 90-day outlooks for precipitation from the Climate Prediction Center.
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/pre...
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/pre...
October 2, 2024 at 10:20 PM
FWIW, here are all the 90-day outlooks for precipitation from the Climate Prediction Center.
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/pre...
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/pre...
October 1 marks the start of the new water year. Here's a look back at snow accumulation since September 30, 2023.
October 1, 2024 at 11:16 PM
October 1 marks the start of the new water year. Here's a look back at snow accumulation since September 30, 2023.
September 17, 2024 at 7:21 PM