Latest Drought Information Statement from NWS-Pueblo

Spring thunderstorms across the area brought some spotty but beneficial moisture to portion of the southeast Colorado plains over the past few months.  This moisture, however, was not widespread enough to put a dent in the severe to exceptional drought that has gripped portions of the southeast Colorado over the past few years.

With this in mind, the current US Drought Monitor continues to indicate exceptional drought (D4) conditions across central and eastern Otero County, southeastern Crowley County, southwestern through west central Kiowa County and southwestern through extreme northeastern Bent County.

Extreme (D3) drought conditions continue to be depicted across the rest of Crowley Otero and Bent Counties, as well as northeastern and central portions of Kiowa County.  Extreme drought conditions are also indicated across western Prowers County, eastern Las Animas County and western through southeastern Baca County.  Other portions of those D3 counties also experience some level of severe (D2) drought conditions.

Despite some beneficial rain from spring thunderstorms, southeastern portions of the state continue to deal with the effects of a multi-year drought, including low soil moisture, blowing dust and crop and cattle abandonment.  The CPC and VIC Soil Moisture calculations continue to indicate near normal conditions in places across most of south central and southeast Colorado, although portions of the southwest mountains are indicating some drying over the past month.  However, below to well below normal conditions continue to be indicated across portions of the southeast plains, especially across the lower Arkansas River Valley.

These figures, in inches, are for select locations indicating observed precipitation totals and departure from normal over the past 365 days.

Alamosa Airport               10.93/+3.62
C. Springs Airport            21.28/+4.74
Pueblo Airport                  11.95/-0.62
Eads                                    13.05/-2.18
Lamar                                 15.90/+0.70
Walsh 1W                            20.07/+0.91
Ordway 21N                         6.30/-6.25
Kim 15NNE                         13.08/-3.76
Walsenburg 1NW               17.10/-0.94
Trinidad                              16.50/+0.19

As of June 1, 2014, this year’s snowpack was still melting at the highest elevations, but was just about gone at the level of most official snow measurement sites. The Arkansas River Basin reported 132% of median snowpack, up from 99% of median a month ago, and up from 86% of median a year ago.  The Rio Grande Basin reported just 39% of median snowpack down from 50% of median a month ago, but up from 2% of median a year ago.

At the end of May, overall reservoir storage was below average across southeast and south central Colorado.  Storage in the Arkansas Basin was at 63% of average overall, down from 67%of average a month ago, but higher than 50% of average a year ago.  In the Rio Grande basin, storage was at 71% of average overall up from 67% of average a month ago and higher than 40% of average a year ago.