Rocky Mountains

Meteorologists have also warned that a polar vortex is making its way toward the northern Rocky Mountains and northern Plains in the middle of the countryand is expected to land this weekend.

The Colorado River provides water for cities from Denver to Los Angeles, 30 Native tribes and farmlands from the Rocky Mountains to northern Mexico.

Stretching 5000km along the Indian Ocean's 90-degree east longitude and nearly matching the length of North America's Rocky Mountains, the ridge offers crucial new insights into the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates.

Gottschalck and other federal officials presented NOAA’s seasonal outlook Thursday, saying they expect expanding drought conditions in the central Rocky Mountains and the Colorado River watershed, a major water source for Southern California.

Overall at least 125 locations from the Rocky Mountains to the West Coast have broken temperature records since the start of the month.