Drought in Animas 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 75% of Colorado Zone 022 - Animas River Basin, with the remaining 25% under Severe (D2) Drought conditions. With the 10/14 Drought Monitor update, significant improvements were noted. Extreme (D3) Drought was completely removed, and Severe (D2) Drought was reduced to covering just 5% of the zone. Moderate (D1) Drought was introduced, now covering 80% of the zone. Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions were also introduced, covering 15% of the zone. With the 10/21 update, Severe (D2) Drought was completely removed, with Moderate (D1) Drought reduced to 5% coverage. Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions now covered 80% of the zone. Drought Free conditions were introduced, covering the remaining 15% of the zone. No substantial 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.