Drought — Guadalupe Mountains of Chaves County, New Mexico

1996-05-01 to 1996-05-31 · Guadalupe Mountains of Chaves County, New Mexico

Wider weather episode

A statewide drought intensified throughout an unusually hot month with most stations reporting little or no significant rainfall. By the end of May severe to extreme drought was indicated by the Palmer Drought Severity Index in all 8 New Mexico climatic divisions. Many stations were reporting the driest winter and spring (DEC-MAY) in over 100 years. Indirect economic costs have reached 50 to 100 million dollars. Ranchers have suffered from lack of grazing and stock water and forced liquidation of herds, while spring crop plantings withered away. Some cities have begun extra water conservation, while the tender dry conditions in the national forests have brought bans on the use of open flames. Over 70 percent of the Lincoln National Forest was closed to public use.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5551878. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.