Drought in Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys, Arizona

The extreme (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during November. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. While rain fell on several days in November, monthly totals were less than a quarter inch, less than 25 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings remained below the 5th or 10th percentile ranking in most areas through November.