Drought — Flattop Mountains, Colorado

2025-10-01 to 2025-10-31 · Flattop Mountains, Colorado

Event narrative

At the beginning of the month of October, the US Drought Monitor analyzed an area of Extreme (D3) Drought that covered roughly 90% of Colorado Zone 013 - Flattop Mountains. Severe (D2) Drought conditions covered roughly 9%, and Moderate (D1) Drought covered the remaining 1%. With the 10/14 Drought Monitor update, significant improvements were noted. Extreme (D3) Drought was completely removed, with 90% of the zone now under Severe (D2) Drought conditions. The remaining 10% of the zone was covered by 8% Moderate (D1) Drought, and the introduction of Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions that covered 2%. With the 10/21 update, Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions increased to 5% coverage, with Moderate (D1) conditions reduced to 3% coverage. Severe (D2) Drought conditions remained unchanged. No substantial changes were noted between this point and the end of the month.

Wider weather episode

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.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1296829. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.