DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT-NWS Pueblo

August 2020 Drought Map

Exceptional Drought Conditions Develop Across Portions of Southeast Colorado

SYNOPSIS… 

While July brought some abundant and much needed precipitation to portions of south central and southeast Colorado, this beneficial moisture mainly passed by Kiowa County. This, combined with a mainly hot and dry August across Colorado, has allowed for the latest US Drought Monitor to introduce exceptional drought (D4) conditions to central portions of Kiowa County. 

The latest US Drought Monitor, issued Thursday August 27th 2020, also indicates extreme drought (D3) conditions in place across most of the rest of Kiowa County into extreme northeastern portions of Bent County and extreme northern portions of Prowers County. Extreme drought (D3) conditions remain depicted across most of Costilla County, southwestern through southeastern Huerfano County, western portions of Las Animas County, as well as southern Mineral County, southwestern Rio Grande County, and western into southeastern Conejos County. 

The latest US Drought Monitor now indicates severe drought (D2) conditions across the rest of south central and southeast Colorado, including Baca County, Crowley County, Otero County, and the rest of Kiowa, Bent and Prowers Counties. 

FIRE DANGER… 

Very warm and relatively dry conditions across the region through most of August has allowed for fire danger across the state to increase once again, with several large wildfire starts in the month of August across western and northern portions of Colorado. The latest 1 week and 1 month Evaporate Demand Drought Index (EDDI) also indicate the rapidly decreasing conditions across western Colorado into portions of northern and central Colorado. 

AGRICULTURAL… 

For the week ending August 23th, 2020, the USDA Colorado Crop Progress Report indicated 83 percent of topsoil moisture across the state was rated at short or very short, compared to only 22 percent being reported at short or very short at this same time last year. 

Subsoil moisture indicated similar conditions, with 85 percent being reported as short or very short statewide, as compared to only 30 percent being reported at short or very short at this same time last year. 

HYDROLOGIC… 

NRCS data indicated statewide precipitation for the month of July came in at 76 percent of average, as compared to 51 percent average at this same time last year. This brings statewide 2020 Water Year precipitation to 81 percent of average overall, as compared to 119 percent of average overall at this same time last year. 

In the Arkansas basin, NRCS data indicated July precipitation was 92 percent of average, as compared to 69 percent average at this same time last year. This brings Arkansas basin 2020 Water Year precipitation to 75 percent of average overall, as compared to 113 percent of average overall at this same time last year. 

In the Rio Grande basin, NRCS data indicated July precipitation was around 100 percent of average, as compared to 74 percent average at this same time last year. This brings the Rio Grande basin 2020 Water Year precipitation to 68 percent of average overall, as compared to 120 percent of average overall at this same time last year. 

NRCS data also indicated statewide water storage was at 90 percent of average overall at the end of July, compared to the 116 percent of average storage available statewide at this same time last year. 

In the Arkansas Basin, water storage at the end of July came in at 81percent of average overall, as compared to 117 percent of average storage available at this same time last year. 

In the Rio Grande Basin, water storage at the end of July came in at 63 percent of average overall, as compared to 128 percent of average storage available at this same time last year. 

CLIMATE SUMMARY… 

The average temperature in Alamosa for the past month of July was 65.6 degrees, which is 1.0 degrees above normal. Alamosa recorded 1.58 inches of precipitation through the month July, which is 0.61 inches above normal. 

The average temperature in Colorado Springs for the past month of July was 74.2 degrees. This is 3.3 degrees above normal and makes July of 2020 the 8th warmest July on record in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs recorded 1.53 inches of precipitation through the month of July. This is 1.31 inches below normal and makes July of 2020 the 24th driest July on record in Colorado Springs. 

The average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of July was 78.9 degrees. This is 3.1 degrees above normal and makes July of 2020, tied with July of 2018, as the 14th warmest July on record in Pueblo. Pueblo recorded 1.31 inches of precipitation through the month of July, which is 0.75 inches below normal.