Improvement in Southeastern Colorado Drought

August 2022 Drought Map

Monsoon Moisture Brings Continued Improvements in Drought Conditions across South Central and Southeast Colorado

SYNOPSIS:

July of 2022 was a warm and wet month across south central and southeast Colorado, as the southwest summer monsoon brought periods of abundant moisture and bouts of heavy rainfall across the region. The monsoon has remained active through the month of August thus far, especially for areas over and near the eastern mountains and portions of the southeast plains.

With that said, the latest US Drought Monitor issued Thursday, August 18^th 2022, indicates east central Las Animas County and extreme southern Otero County as drought free.

The latest Drought Monitor also indicated Extreme Drought (D3) conditions confined to extreme south central Baca County, with Severe Drought (D2) conditions now confined to extreme southeastern Las Animas County, extreme southwestern to northeastern Baca County, and extreme eastern Prowers County.

Moderate Drought (D1) conditions are now depicted from west central to north central Baca County and central Prowers County.

The rest of south central and southeast Colorado are now indicated as Abnormally Dry (D0) and include across the rest of Otero Counties, as well as Kiowa County, Bent County, western Prowers County and northwestern Baca County.

FIRE DANGER:

Abundant moisture associated with the summer monsoon has helped to ease Fire danger across portions of south central and southeast Colorado, with more counties easing fire restrictions and bans across the region.

AGRICULTURAL:

The USDA`s “Colorado Crop Progress” report for the week ending August 14th, 2022 indicated 15 percent of topsoil moisture and 18 percent of subsoil moisture across the state being reported as very short, as compared to 23 percent of topsoil moisture and 28 percent of subsoil moisture reported as very short the previous week. However, CPC soil moisture products as well as longer term (2 and 3 month) Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) data still indicates some drier soil moisture conditions across the far southeast Colorado Plains.

HYDROLOGIC:

NRCS data indicated the statewide mountain precipitation for the month of July was 152 percent of median, as compared to 149 percent of median at this time last year. This brings statewide total water-year-to-date precipitation up to 100 percent of median, as compared to 88 percent of median at this same time last year.

In the Arkansas basin, July precipitation came in at 161 percent of median, as compared to the 142 percent of median precipitation at this time last year. This brings total water-year-to-date precipitation across the Arkansas basin up to 105 percent of median, as compared to 104 percent of median at this same time last year.

In the Rio Grande basin, July precipitation came in at 184 percent of median, as compared to the 150 percent of median precipitation at this time last year. This brings total water-year-to-date precipitation across the Rio Grande basin up to 102 percent of median, as compared to 102 percent of median at this same time last year.

NRCS data also indicated statewide water storage was at 76 percent of median overall at the end of July, as compared to the 78 percent of median storage available at this time last year.

In the Arkansas Basin, water storage at the end of July came in at 78 percent of median overall, as compared to the 86 percent of median storage available at this same time last year.  In the Rio Grande Basin, water storage at the end of July came in at 87 percent of median overall, as compared to the 92 percent of median storage available at this time last year.

CLIMATE SUMMARY:

The average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of July was 79.9 degrees. This is 2.5 degrees above normal and makes July of 2022 the 10th warmest July on record. Pueblo recorded 2.12 inches of precipitation through the month of July, which is 0.23 inches above normal.