Drought in Lower Chama River Valley, New Mexico

A majority of central and northern New Mexico received below normal precipitation during April 2014. As a result, severe (D2) or worse drought conditions expanded areawide and worsened for parts of the far east, central and west. An estimated 86 percent of the state was classified in severe drought or worse at the end of April, as compared to 65 per cent at the beginning of the month. Exceptional drought (D4) returned to far eastern New Mexico from the Clovis area north to Tucumcari and Clayton.