February 2012 NWS Hydrologic Chart for S.E. Colorado

National Weather Service-Hydrologic Report-March 4, 2012

Temperatures have been 0 to 2 degrees above average across the Arkansas Valley Basin during February. Temperatures across the upper Rio Grande Basin have been 1 to 2 degrees above average.

Overall snowpack levels are running below average across the Arkansas and Upper Rio Grande basins. On February 29, the snowpack in the Arkansas Basin was 88% of overall average. The snowpack in the upper Rio Grande Basin was also at 88% of average overall.

Precipitation has been below average across the Arkansas Basin this winter with the mountain portion of the basin reporting 89% of average precipitation as of February 29. The mountain portion of the upper Rio Grande Basin reported 103% of average precipitation through the end of the month.

Streamflow and soil moisture were generally near or below average across the Arkansas and Upper Rio Grande Basins at the end of February. Overall reservoir storage levels were also running near or below average. Combined reservoir storage levels in the Arkansas Basin were around 98% of average…while combined levels in the Upper Rio Grande Basin were around 69% of average.

The outlook for March through May from the NWS climate prediction center indicates that precipitation will most likely be below average and temperatures will be above average.

Precipitation levels for southeast Colorado, comparing February 2011 to 2012 are as follows in inches:

                                             February 2011           February 2012

Eads                                               0.61                           0.49
Haswell                                          0.57                           0.31
Holly                                               0.44                           0.38
John Martin Dam                          0.22                           0.21
La Junta                                         0.06                           0.10
Lamar                                             0.40                           0.19
Las Animas                                    0.20                          0.00
Springfield                                      0.28                          0.63
Walsh                                              0.45                          0.42
Trinidad                                          1.60                          0.22