When a winter storm hit Colorado on Feb. 15, 2006, it had a profound effect on the state's snowpack that year, but not how you might imagine. The storm consisted of dust, not snow. And the dust's heating effects caused snow to melt off weeks earlier than it would have otherwise, researchers say. This year, the Silverton-based Center for Snow & Avalanche Studies continued to document the phenomenon of dust storms speeding up the melting of snowpack. And now it's trying to use its findings to help the state's water agencies do a better job of anticipating when snowmelt will occur, so they can better manage water supplies.

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