Drought — Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

2024-01-01 to 2024-01-31 · Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

Event narrative

The extreme (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. 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. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties. Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

Wider weather episode

The extreme (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. 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. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties.

Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1158172. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.