Drought in Grand Valley, Colorado

The US Drought Monitor update on April 29th added a large pocket of Extreme (D3) Drought to central Western Colorado, including portions of Mesa, Delta, and Montrose Counties. This area, combined with the small sliver of D3 conditions in the southern San Juans, put just under 6.5% of the entire County Warning Area under Extreme Drought conditions. Severe (D2) Drought conditions make up the remainder of this zone.

An unusually dry winter and underperforming snowpack combined with a lack of precipitation across the lower elevations during the spring months to reintroduce drought to Western Colorado. By late April, the first widespread drought conditions of Extreme (D3) or greater category appeared.