NWS Office Releases Drought Information Statement 9/20/21

Description: (Drought Map Provided by National Weather Service Office of Pueblo)

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
National Weather Service National Weather Service Pueblo Co
1059 AM MDT Mon Sep 20 2021

COC003-009-011-015-021-023-025-027-041-043-055-061-065-071-079-089-
099-101-105-109-119-231200-
1059 AM MDT Mon Sep 20 2021

...Drying Out across South Central and Southeast Colorado...

SYNOPSIS...

A cool and wet late Spring brought an end to drought conditions across eastern Colorado, while drought continued to linger across western portions of south central Colorado and especially into western Colorado. After a warm and generally dry June, the summer monsoon kicked in in July, bringing widespread moisture to much of Colorado and some improvements in the drought across south central and western portions of the state. However, upper level high pressure parked across western Colorado through much of August kept monsoonal moisture south and west of the area, leading to very warm and dry conditions for most of south central and southeast Colorado through the end of the summer. With a very warm and dry start to Meteorological Fall (September, October and November), drought conditions are starting to creep back into south central and southeast Colorado.

With that said, the latest US Drought Monitor indicates moderate drought (D1) conditions across extreme northwestern portions of Lake and Saguache Counties, as well as extreme southwestern portions of Baca County.

Abnormally dry (D0) conditions are indicated across the rest of Lake County, the western 2/3rds of Chaffee County, northwestern Saguache County, and northeastern portions of Mineral and Conejos Counties. Abnormally dry (D0) conditions are also depicted across northern and extreme eastern portions of El Paso County, extreme northeastern
Pueblo County, Crowley County, western Kiowa County, northeastern Otero County, western and southern Bent County, southern Prowers County, extreme eastern Las Animas County and the rest of Baca County.

The rest of south central and southeast Colorado are indicated as drought free on the September 14th issuance of the US Drought Monitor.

More information about drought classification can be found at:

droughtmonitor.unl.edu/About/AbouttheData/DroughtClassification.aspx

DROUGHT IMPACTS...

FIRE DANGER...

Abundant late Spring moisture and a warm and wet mid summer helped vegetation grow across across south central and southeast Colorado. However, very warm and generally dry weather from the late summer and early fall has helped to dry out these fuels, leading to moderate to high fire danger across the region at this time.

The latest information on fire bans and restrictions across the area can be found at: www.coemergency.com/p/fire-bans-danger.html

AGRICULTURAL...

Warm and generally dry weather through the late summer and into the early fall has helped to dry out soils, with CPC soil moisture data indicating both top soil and sub soil moisture drying across south central and southeast Colorado. The latest Evaporative Demand Drought
Index (EDDI) is also indicating drying across south central and southeastern Colorado, especially in the latest shorter term (1 week and 1 month) data.

Data from the September 12th, 2021 USDA Colorado Crop Progress Report
indicated 18 percent of topsoil moisture and 23 percent of subsoil moisture was rated at very short, with another 38 percent of topsoil moisture and 37 percent of subsoil moisture rated at short across the state. This compares to 34 percent of topsoil moisture and 38 percent of subsoil moisture rated at very short, with another 38 percent of topsoil moisture and 39 percent of subsoil moisture rated at short at this same time last year.

HYDROLOGIC...

NRCS data indicated August statewide mountain precipitation was 70 percent of average, which brings water year to date precipitation to 85 percent of average overall statewide. In comparison, August 2020 precipitation was only 29 percent of average, with water year to date precipitation coming in at 79 percent of average at this same time last year.

In the Arkansas basin, August precipitation was at 50 percent of average overall, bringing water year to date precipitation to 91 percent of average. In comparison, August 2020 precipitation was 40 percent of average in the Arkansas basin, with water year to date precipitation coming in at 74 percent of average at this same time last year.

In the Rio Grande basin, August precipitation was at 53 percent of
average overall, bringing water year to date precipitation to 88 percent of average. In comparison, August 2020 precipitation was only 24 percent of average in the Rio Grande basin, with water year to date precipitation coming in at 64 percent of average at this same time last year.

NRCS data also indicated statewide water storage was at 80 percent of average overall at the end of August, compared to 85 percent of average at this same time last year.

In the Arkansas Basin, water storage at the end of August came in at 76 percent of average overall, as compared to 73 percent of average storage available at this same time last year.

In the Rio Grande Basin, water storage at the end of August came in at 73 percent of average overall, as compared to 67 percent of average storage available at this same time last year.

CLIMATE SUMMARY...

The average temperature in Alamosa for the past month of August was 64.7 degrees. This is 1.5 degrees above normal and makes August of 2021 the 6th warmest August on record. Alamosa only recorded 0.10 inches of precipitation through the month of August. This is 1.19 inches below normal and makes August of 2021 the driest August on record in Alamosa.

The average temperature for the Summer of 2021 (June, July and August) in Alamosa was 65.1 degrees. This is 2.1 degrees above normal and makes the Summer of 2021 the 2nd warmest summer on record in Alamosa. Alamosa recorded 2.13 inches of precipitation through the Summer of 2021. This is 0.65 inches below normal and makes the Summer of 2021 the 35th driest on record in Alamosa.

The average temperature in Colorado Springs for the past month of August was 74.0 degrees. This is 3.9 degrees above normal and makes August of 2021 the 2nd warmest August on record in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs only recorded 0.20 inches of precipitation through the month of August. This is 2.76 inches below normal and makes August of 2021 the 4th driest on record in Colorado Springs.

The average temperature for the Summer of 2021 (June, July and August) in Colorado Springs was 72.0 degrees. This is 2.1 degrees above normal and makes the Summer of 2021 the 4th warmest on record in Colorado
Springs. Colorado Springs recorded 5.61 inches of precipitation through the summer. This is 2.74 inches below normal and makes the Summer of 2021 the 41st driest on record in Colorado Springs.

The average temperature in Pueblo for the past month of August was 76.4 degrees. This is 1.6 degrees above normal and makes August of 2021 the 15th warmest on record in Pueblo. Pueblo recorded 1.23 inches of precipitation through the month of August, which is 0.88 inches below normal.

The average temperature for the Summer of 2021 (June, July and August) in Pueblo was 75.7 degrees. This is 1.1 degrees above normal and makes the Summer of 2021 the 13th warmest on record in Pueblo. Pueblo recorded 6.88 inches of precipitation through the summer. This is 1.60 inches
above normal and makes the Summer of 2021 the 23rd wettest on record.

Here are a few other statistics for select south central and southeast Colorado locations, indicating observed precipitation totals and departure from normal for the past month, past 3 months, past 6 months and past 365 days:

...............PAST........PAST 3......PAST 6.......PAST 365........
...............MONTH.......MONTHS......MONTHS.......DAYS............
...............TOTAL/DEP...TOTAL/DEP...TOTAL/DEP....TOTAL/DEP.......
...............INCHES......INCHES......INCHES.......INCHES..........

ALS Airport 0.10/-1.19 2.13/-0.63 4.39/-0.05 8.15/+0.76
COS Airport 0.20/-2.76 5.61/-2.74 11.74/-0.84 14.28/-1.63
PUB Airport 1.23/-0.88 6.88/+1.60 13.08/+3.84 15.70/+3.68

Eads 0.23/-2.30 4.96/-2.51 12.50/+0.36 14.56/-1.14
Lamar 2.31/-0.47 6.31/-1.81 14.42/+2.19 16.23/+0.04
Campo 7S 0.68/-2.65 3.90/-4.37 10.35/-1.91 12.50/-4.11
Walsh 1W 2.47/-0.79 6.76/-2.67 15.26/+1.00 18.98/-0.55
Kim 15NNE 4.02/+1.58 8.61/+1.55 13.62/+2.01 16.94/+0.25
FlorissantFB 2.42/-0.61 7.48/+0.02 12.70/+1.61 15.29/+0.32
Canon City 0.81/-1.25 6.25/+1.09 11.23/+1.71 14.71/+0.99
Rye 1SW 2.08/-1.00 10.10/+1.42 22.55/+5.85 30.87/+5.50
Westcliffe 0.91/-1.07 6.65/+1.22 11.44/+1.98 15.93/+2.34
Walsenburg 1NW 2.26/+0.11 5.77/+0.10 14.94/+3.47 20.81/+3.52
Trinidad 0.65/-1.64 7.87/+1.68 15.47/+5.29 18.48/+3.61
Crestone 2SE 1.40/-0.51 5.23/+0.38 8.31/+0.25 12.24/-0.19
Del Norte 2E 1.04/-0.62 3.21/-0.55 6.21/+0.14 10.99/+1.31
Buena Vista 2S 1.14/-0.41 5.55/+1.77 9.33/+2.74 13.01/+3.08
Climax 1.94/-0.61 9.06/+3.00 14.22/+0.91 22.84/-2.39

PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlook for the next week indicates a slight nod to above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado.
The outlook for October, November and December also indicates better chances for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation across the area.

The CPC US Seasonal Drought Outlook valid from September 16th through December 31st, 2021 indicates drought conditions persisting across western Colorado, with drought development likely across south central and southeast Colorado through the end of the year.

NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...

This product will be updated by Thursday October 21st, 2021, or sooner if necessary, in response to significant changes in conditions.

&&

RELATED WEB SITES...

Additional information on current drought conditions may be found at:

www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu

www.weather.gov/pub/

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...

The drought monitor is a multi-agency effort involving The National
Drought Mitigation Center, NOAA`s National Weather Service, The USDA
and state and regional center climatologists. Information for this
statement has been gathered from NWS and FAA observation sites, Colorado Cooperative Extension Services, The NRCS, USDA, USACE and USGS.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...

If you have any questions or comments about this drought information
statement, please contact:

National Weather Service Forecast Office
3 Eaton Way
Pueblo, Colorado 81007
Phone: 719-948-9429

or email to: nws.pueblo@noaa.gov

Share

Tweet

Follow SECO News on Facebook.
Subscribe to the SECO News YouTube Channel.

Press releases Sponsor

Announcements Sponsor

SECO Weather Sponsor