Drought in Chuska Mountains, New Mexico

Severe drought conditions from November 2019 continued in December.

Moderate to severe drought conditions across portions of western and northern New Mexico at the end of November 2019 slightly improved across portions of northern and central NM in December. Moderate to severe drought conditions improved to 28 percent of the state of which 15 percent across western and northern NM was deemed as severe drought. December 2019 saw an active pattern impact much of NM, but only light to moderate snow amounts resulted in a month that was drier than normal. Precipitation amounts across western New Mexico during December ranged from one half inch to one inch. Areas across central and eastern NM generally received amounts ranging from one half to three quarters of an inch.