Drought Information Statement for South Central and Southeast Colorado as of January 20, 2024

Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change.

Drought Worsened: Portions of Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, Custer, Pueblo and Costilla counties.

No Change: Most of south central Colorado.  Drought Improved: The southeast Plains.

Precipitation:

After a dry start to the 2024 Water Year (Oct 2023-Sept 2024), precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado picked up in the month of December and through January of 2024 thus far.

Hydrologic Impacts

• While statewide snowpack was running below median (68%) at the end of December, storms through January thus far have boosted statewide snowpack to 92 percent of median with the most gains across the Northern and Central mountains.Agricultural Impacts
• Soil moisture deficits remain in place across portions of south central Colorado.

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts

• Current stream flows are at or above normal across most of south central and southeast Colorado, with some ice jams being reported along the mid Arkansas River.
• NRCS data indicated statewide mountain precipitation for the month of December was at 93 percent of median, as compared to 159 percent of median at this time last year. Water Year to date precipitation is 75 percent of median, as compared to 107 percent last year.
• In the Arkansas basin, December precipitation came in at 100 percent of median, as compared to 90 percent of median at this time last year. Water Year to date precipitation is 77 percent of median, as compared to 82 percent last year.
• In the Arkansas basin, December precipitation came in at 84 percent of median, as compared to 92 percent of median at this time last year. Water Year to date precipitation is at 62 percent of median, as compared to 86 percent of median last year.

Hydrologic Conditions Colorado Snowpack

Link to NRCS Colorado Water Supply Outlook Report (January-June)

• As of January 20th, Colorado Statewide Snowpack was running at 92 percent of median.
• In the Arkansas basin, snowpack was at 84 percent of median.
• In the Upper Rio Grande basin, snowpack was at 70 percent of median, and the lowest in the state.Agricultural and Water Storage Impacts
• CPC data indicates soil moisture deficits across portions of south central Colorado.
• NRCS data indicates statewide Colorado Reservoir Storage was at 100 percent of median at the end of December, as compared to 78 percent of median at this same time last year.
• In the Arkansas basin, reservoir storage was at 107 percent of median at the end of December, as compared to 84 percent of median at this same time last year.
• In the Rio Grande basin, reservoir storage was at 121 percent of median at the end of December, as compared to 106 percent of median at this same time last year.

Long-Range Outlooks

The CPC Temperature and Precipitation Outlook for the month of February leans to equal chances of above, below and near normal temperatures and precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado.