Drought in Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin, Colorado

At the beginning of the month of October, the US Drought Monitor analyzed an area of Extreme (D3) Drought as covering roughly 90% of Colorado Zone 011 - Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin, with the remaining 10% under Severe (D2) Drought conditions. Significant improvements were noted with the 10/14 Drought Monitor update. Extreme (D3) Drought was completely removed, with Severe (D2) Drought now covering 95% of the zone. Moderate (D1) Drought conditions were introduced at this point, covering the remaining 5% of the zone. No significant changes were noted between this point and the end of the month.

A dry end to September and a dry start to October kept drought conditions consistent across much of eastern Utah and western Colorado at the start of the month. However, the arrival of deep tropical moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storms Priscilla and Raymond helped to substantially improve drought conditions, especially across southwest Colorado. In this region, drought was completely eradicated. Only portions of northeast Utah and northwest Colorado, where the deep tropical moisture did not reach, saw drought conditions persist more or less unchanged.