Drought in San Agustin Plains and Adjacent Lowlands, New Mexico

Severe drought conditions from April 2021 continued in May.

Drought conditions across northern and central New Mexico finally started to improve during the month of May 2021. The last couple weeks of May were unusually active for the area with many days defined by widespread thunderstorms especially across the eastern half of the area. Extreme to exceptional drought improved to about 75 percent with about 47 percent deemed exceptional drought. The most noted drought improvement was across the northeastern corner of New Mexico where a very active storm track improved conditions into the moderate drought category with even far eastern portions of Union County improving to abnormally dry. This area saw the highest precipitation totals with rain totals generally ranging from 3 to 6 inches. Southeast New Mexico also saw high precipitation totals, particularly in the last couple days of the month, where 3 to 5 inches of rain in a short period of time resulted in flooding in the area. Central New Mexico generally received precipitation totals ranging from 1 to 2 inches. Western New Mexico saw the least amount of precipitation during the month with totals less than an inch, and the Four Corners area received well less than half an inch.