Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
Issued by NWS Denver/Boulder, CO
000 AXUS75 KBOU 032250 DGTBOU COC001-005-013-014-019-031-035-039-047-049-057-059-069-073-075-087- 093-095-115-117-121-123-150000- DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO 450 PM MDT FRI MAY 3 2013 ...DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO SLOWLY IMPROVE IN NORTHEAST COLORADO... SYNOPSIS... WINTER STORMS THE BEGINNING OF MAY BROUGHT MORE BENEFICIAL MOISTURE. TWO DAY STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL ENDING EARLY ON MAY 2ND WAS GENERALLY 0.5 TO 1.5 FEET IN THE NORTH CENTRAL COLORADO MOUNTAINS...NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND URBAN CORRIDOR. THE LARGEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WERE CENTERED ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE IN NORTHERN COLORADO. NORTHEAST COLORADO RECEIVED 2 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW. ONCE AGAIN ONLY 1 TO 3 INCHES FELL IN SOME OF THE MOST DROUGHT STRICKEN AREAS IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO INCLUDING SOUTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY. TWO MONTH PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST COLORADO WITH IMPROVED WINTER WHEAT CONDITIONS REPORTED RECENTLY. THEREFORE...EXTREME DROUGHT /D3/ HAS BEEN REDUCED TO SEVERE DROUGHT /D2/ IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON...NORTHWEST LOGAN...CENTRAL PHILLIPS AND EXTREME NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTIES ON THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR VALID APRIL 30TH. EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT /D4/ REMAINED ENTRENCHED IN SOUTHERN LINCOLN AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST ELBERT COUNTIES. EXTREME DROUGHT /D3/ CONTINUED IN SEDGWICK...NORTHEAST LOGAN AND EASTERN PHILLIPS COUNTIES IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF COLORADO AND CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO. SEVERE DROUGHT /D2/ COVERED THE REMAINDER OF THE NORTHEAST PLAINS EXTENDING ACROSS THE PALMER DIVIDE AND SOUTH PARK AREA. MODERATE DROUGHT /D1/ REMAINED OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...NORTHERN FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND URBAN CORRIDOR FROM DENVER NORTHWARD. SUMMARY OF IMPACTS... EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT OR D4 IMPACTS INCLUDE EXCEPTIONAL AND WIDESPREAD CROP/PASTURE LOSSES...EXTREME WILDLAND FIRE DANGER...SHORTAGES OF WATER IN RESERVOIRS...STREAMS AND WELLS CREATING WATER EMERGENCIES. EXTREME DROUGHT OR D3 IMPACTS INCLUDE EXTREME WILDLAND FIRE DANGER...MAJOR CROP AND PASTURE LOSSES...WIDESPREAD WATER SHORTAGES AND WATER RESTRICTIONS. SEVERE DROUGHT OR D2 IMPACTS INCLUDE HIGH WILDLAND FIRE DANGER...CROP AND PASTURE LOSSES...WATER SHORTAGES AND RESTRICTIONS. MODERATE DROUGHT OR D1 IMPACTS INCLUDE SOME DAMAGE TO CROPS...SOME WATER SHORTAGES AND WATER RESTRICTIONS. HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK... THE BASIN SNOWPACK IN THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS HAS RISEN NEAR ITS DAILY AVERAGE AND TO 95 TO NEAR 100 PERCENT OF ITS ANNUAL AVERAGE PEAK SNOWPACK THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS. THE MAY 3RD SNOWPACK WAS 103 PERCENT OF AVERAGE IN THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN...100 PERCENT OF AVERAGE IN THE SOUTH PLATTE BASIN AND 99 PERCENT OF AVERAGE IN THE NORTH PLATTE BASIN ON MAY 3RD. WITH THE PRECIPITATION AND WARMER TEMPERATURES EARLIER THIS WEEK...THE USGS STREAM GAGES GENERALLY HAVE NEAR TO BELOW AVERAGE STREAMFLOWS. THE U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK VALID MAY 2ND THROUGH JULY 31ST 2013 CALLS FOR SOME DROUGHT IMPROVEMENT POSSIBLE EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BUT DROUGHT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST OR INTENSIFY WEST OF THE DIVIDE. CLIMATE SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK... APRIL TEMPERATURES GENERALLY RANGED FROM 2 TO 8 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE. APRIL UNOFFICIAL PRECIPITATION TOTALS AT SELECTED LOCATIONS ARE LISTED BELOW: LOCATION 2013 AVERAGE DEPARTURE % AVERAGE -------- ---- ------- --------- --------- NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS DILLON 1.96 1.27 0.69 154 ESTES PARK 3.65 2.09 1.56 175 FRASER 3.12 1.90 1.22 164 GEORGETOWN 3.18 2.10 1.08 151 GRAND LAKE 1NW 2.87 1.59 1.28 181 GRANT 1.69 1.43 0.26 118 LAKE GEORGE 8SW 0.42 0.89 -0.47 47 WALDEN 1.29 1.17 0.12 110 WINTER PARK 3.67 3.20 1.47 115 FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR BOULDER 4.14 2.87 1.27 144 DENVER DOWNTOWN1SW 1.62 2.08 -0.46 78 FORT COLLINS 2.84 2.06 0.78 138 GREELEY 2.44 1.81 0.63 135 LAKEWOOD 2.20 2.22 -0.02 99 LOVELAND 3.22 2.16 1.06 149 NORTHGLENN 1.66 1.84 -0.18 90 PARKER 1.23 2.37 -1.14 52 WHEAT RIDGE 2.03 2.20 -0.17 92 EASTERN PLAINS AKRON 4E 1.49 1.41 0.08 106 FORT MORGAN 1.02 1.27 -0.25 80 HOLYOKE 1.46 1.90 -0.44 77 HUGO 1.14 1.06 0.08 108 KARVAL 0.16 1.27 -1.11 13 LINDON 5WNW 0.76 1.42 -0.66 54 NEW RAYMER 21N 2.21 1.74 0.47 127 SEDGWICK 5S 1.69 1.95 -0.26 87 SHAW 4ENE 0.95 1.49 -0.54 64 THREE MONTH UNOFFICIAL PRECIPITATION TOTALS FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH APRIL ARE SHOWN IN THE TABLE BELOW: LOCATION 2013 AVERAGE DEPARTURE % AVERAGE -------- ---- ------- --------- --------- NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS DILLON 5.27 3.20 2.07 165 ESTES PARK 5.04 4.67 0.37 108 FRASER 5.21 5.20 0.01 100 GEORGETOWN 4.80 4.61 0.19 104 GRAND LAKE 1NW 4.62 4.39 0.23 105 GRANT 3.05 3.25 -0.20 94 LAKE GEORGE 8SW 1.04 2.03 -0.99 51 WALDEN 1.93 2.60 -0.67 74 WINTER PARK 6.40 7.89 -1.49 81 FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR BOULDER 6.99 5.88 1.11 119 DENVER DOWNTOWN 1SW 3.60 4.13 -0.53 87 FORT COLLINS 4.34 4.05 0.29 107 GREELEY 4.53 3.33 1.20 136 LAKEWOOD 5.18 4.26 0.92 122 LOVELAND 5.52 4.26 1.26 130 NORTHGLENN 4.23 3.41 0.82 124 PARKER 3.90 4.35 -0.45 90 WHEAT RIDGE 4.32 4.78 -0.46 90 EASTERN PLAINS AKRON 4E 3.78 2.74 1.04 138 FORT MORGAN 2.26 2.18 0.08 104 HOLYOKE 3.28 3.43 -0.15 96 HUGO 2.78 2.01 0.77 138 KARVAL 0.82 2.41 -1.59 34 LINDON 5WNW 2.82 2.56 0.26 110 NEW RAYMER 21N 3.48 3.12 0.36 112 SEDGWICK 5S 2.94 3.59 -0.65 82 SHAW 4ENE 3.59 3.01 0.58 119 SIX MONTH UNOFFICIAL PRECIPITATION TOTALS FROM NOVEMBER 2012 THROUGH APRIL 2013 ARE LISTED BELOW: LOCATION PAST 6 MONTHS AVERAGE DEPARTURE % AVERAGE -------- ---- ------- --------- --------- LOCATION 2013 AVERAGE DEPARTURE % AVERAGE -------- ---- ------- --------- --------- NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS DILLON 6.91 5.82 1.09 119 ESTES PARK 5.93 6.91 -0.98 86 FRASER 7.67 9.87 -2.20 78 GEORGETOWN 5.95 7.17 -1.22 83 GRAND LAKE 1NW 6.63 8.88 -2.25 75 GRANT 4.00 5.26 -1.26 76 LAKE GEORGE 8SW 1.54 3.10 -1.56 50 WALDEN 3.23 4.69 -1.46 69 WINTER PARK 10.45 14.52 -4.07 72 FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR BOULDER 8.05 8.82 -0.77 91 DENVER DOWNTOWN1SW 4.37 5.94 -1.57 74 FORT COLLINS 4.99 5.71 -0.72 87 GREELEY 5.47 5.11 0.36 107 LAKEWOOD 6.43 6.37 0.06 101 LOVELAND 6.42 6.15 0.27 104 NORTHGLENN 4.94 5.08 -0.14 97 PARKER 4.68 6.59 -1.91 71 WHEAT RIDGE 4.97 7.34 -2.37 68 EASTERN PLAINS AKRON 4E 4.46 4.12 0.34 108 FORT MORGAN 2.78 3.17 -0.39 88 HOLYOKE 4.05 4.93 -0.88 82 HUGO 3.46 3.02 0.44 115 KARVAL 1.01 3.39 -2.38 30 LINDON 5WNW 3.25 3.76 -0.51 86 NEW RAYMER 21N 4.23 4.44 -0.21 95 SEDGWICK 5S 4.03 5.06 -1.03 80 SHAW 4ENE 4.26 4.46 -0.20 96 THE 8 TO 14 DAY OUTLOOK CALLS FOR BELOW AVERAGE PRECIPITATION AND NEAR TO ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. THE OUTLOOK FOR THE MONTH OF MAY CALLS FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF NEAR...ABOVE OR BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION. NEXT ISSUANCE DATE... THIS PRODUCT WILL BE UPDATED BY JUNE 3RD...OR SOONER IF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OCCUR. && RELATED WEB SITES... ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS MAY BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES (USE LOWER CASE LETTERS): U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR DROUGHTMONITOR.UNL.EDU/ LOCAL WEATHER...CLIMATE AND WATER INFORMATION WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BOU COLORADO CLIMATE CENTER/NIDIS DROUGHT PRESENTATIONS HTTP://CCC.ATMOS.COLOSTATE.EDU/DROUGHT_WEBINAR.PHP NWS CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER OUTLOOKS WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV WILDLAND FIRE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM WWW.WFAS.NET/ NDMC DROUGHT IMPACT REPORTER DROUGHTREPORTER.UNL.EDU U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WWW.NASS.USDA.GOV/ WWW.CO.NRCS.USDA.GOV/SNOW/INDEX.HTML USGS COLORADO DROUGHTWATCH WATERWATCH CO.WATER.USGS.GOV/DROUGHT/WATERWATCH.USGS.GOV COLORADO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES SOUTH PLATTE AND SWSI REPORTS WWW.DWR.STATE.CO.US/DWRDOCS/PAGES/SPLATTESUMMARY.ASPX WWW.STATE.CO.US/DWRDOCS/REPORTS/PAGES/SWSIREPORT.ASPX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT INVOLVING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...STATE AND REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGISTS...U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE...NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER AND THE NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER. DATA FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN GATHERED FROM NWS AND FAA OBSERVATION SITES...COOPERATIVE NETWORK STATIONS...NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE SNOTEL NETWORK...COCORAHS NETWORK...COLORADO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES AND U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STREAM GAGES. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS... IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 325 BROADWAY BOULDER CO 80305 $$ TH
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