DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT from Pueblo NWS

April 16, 2021 Drought Map

March Storms Bring Beneficial Moisture to southern Colorado 

SYNOPSIS: 

Several storm systems moving across the Rockies through the month of March provided beneficial and much needed precipitation to much of south central and southeast Colorado. This is especially true across southeast Colorado, which recorded widespread precipitation amounts of 1 to 2 inches throughout the month, with local amounts exceeding 3 inches. The COOP observation in Eads, Colorado recorded 2.47 inches of precipitation in March, which is 1.54 inches above its monthly average. This is also over half (53 percent) of the total precipitation (4.64 inches) recorded in all of 2020! 

With that said, the latest US Drought Monitor, issued Thursday April 15^th 2021, indicates marked improvement in drought conditions across portions of South central and southeast Colorado since the beginning of Water Year 2021 (October 2020-September 2021). 

The US Drought Monitor has eliminated exceptional drought (D4) conditions across all of south central and southeast Colorado, with extreme drought (D3) conditions now limited to central portions of Kiowa County, southwestern through extreme southeastern portions of Las Animas County, and extreme southwestern portions of Baca County. 

Severe drought (D2) conditions are indicated across extreme western through central portions of Las Animas County. Severe drought (D2) conditions are also depicted across most of Crowley County, extreme northeastern Otero County, western into central Kiowa County, northern Bent County, as well as most of Prowers and Baca Counties.  

Moderate drought (D1) conditions are depicted across extreme southern Crowley County, the rest of Otero and Bent Counties, north central Las Animas County, and extreme west central and extreme northeast portions of Prowers County. 

FIRE DANGER:

Cooler and wetter weather over the past month of March helped to curtail fire danger somewhat across south central and southeast Colorado. However, warmer and windier weather in early April, has allowed for periods of moderate to high fire danger to develop once again across much of the snow free areas of the state. 

AGRICULTURAL: 

Despite recent gains in moisture, data from the April 12th, 2021 USDA Colorado Crop Progress Report indicated soil moisture deficits, especially Subsoil moisture, running high across the state. The Crop Progress Report Indicated 15 percent of topsoil conditions around the state were rated at very short, with 38 percent being rated as short. As for subsoil moisture, 31 percent were rated at very short, with another 35 percent rated at short across the state. The lack of soil moisture, combined with strong winds associated with passing cold fronts, have also led to frequent dust storms across the southeast Colorado plains over the past few months. 

HYDROLOGIC: 

NRCS data indicated April 1st statewide snowpack was 94 percent of median, which was 88 percent of the available snowpack at that same time last year. However, with a very warm start to April, statewide snowpack has fallen to 74 percent of average as of April 16th. 

In the Arkansas basin, April 1st snowpack was at 110 percent of median, which was 105 percent of the available snowpack at that same time last year. However, as of April 16th, the snowpack in the Arkansas basin has fallen to 78 percent of average overall.  

NRCS data also indicated statewide water storage was at 87 percent of average overall at the end of March, compared to the 107 percent of average storage available statewide at that same time last year. 

In the Arkansas Basin, water storage at the end of March came in at 69 percent of average overall, as compared to 92 percent of average storage available at that same time last year. 

Current streamflow forecasts in the Arkansas basin range from 109 percent of average on the Cucharas River near La Veta, to 83 percent of average on the Pueblo Reservoir Inflow in the April to July timeframe. 

CLIMATE SUMMARY: 

Alamosa recorded 0.26 inches of precipitation and 5.6 inches of snow through the month of March, which is 0.27 inches below normal and 0.6 inches above normal, respectively. 

Colorado Springs recorded 1.40 inches of precipitation through the month of March. This is 0.40 inches above normal and makes March of 2021 the 17th wettest March on record. Colorado Springs recorded 14.6 inches of snow through March. This is 6.5 inches above normal and makes March of 2021 the 18th snowiest on record.

Pueblo recorded 0.73 inches of precipitation and 3.8 inches of snow through the month of March, which is 0.20 inches below normal and 1.9 inches below normal, respectively. 

PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK: 

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlook for the next two weeks indicate a slight nod to near normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado. The outlook for May, June and July indicates better chances for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across the area.