Drought for the west

It rained, briefly snowed and hailed a couple times yesterday for almost 24 hours straight. Today sun and wind is out and ground is already bone dry here, little more snow up high but winds are my complaint!
 
And it is very wet snow💦
Do you know how much snow there was in the Wet Mtns south of Canon City? I know some of that country went from severe to extreme drought when the drought monitor came out Thursday. I'm glad you guys are getting some moisture.
 
Do you know how much snow there was in the Wet Mtns south of Canon City? I know some of that country went from severe to extreme drought when the drought monitor came out Thursday. I'm glad you guys are getting some moisture.
Looks like 10ish inches around Westcliffe. It has been an average wet spring farther south by Rye.
Update, Beulah, 14"
 
Last edited:
I normally look at the country-wide 24 hour radar loop every day or two. With the drought as severe as it is I always glance towards the western states to see if it's raining. I see on the radar that northern New Mexico has some sprinkles showing up. Is it hitting the ground down there @hank4elk
 
We just picked up another 0.1” 0.25” or so. It’s amazing the difference between this spring and last. I haven’t seen balsam root this tall and thick in 4-5 years.

We’re still listed as moderate drought status, but timing of the precipitation has been outstanding.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I normally look at the country-wide 24 hour radar loop every day or two. With the drought as severe as it is I always glance towards the western states to see if it's raining. I see on the radar that northern New Mexico has some sprinkles showing up. Is it hitting the ground down there @hank4elk
Had some virga around sunset yesterday, mixed in a sandstorm.
The term drier than a popcorn fart was mentioned to me twice by old timers in town early voting. Bad as it gets, is the common term by locals way older than me. Sand building up around the gramma grass in places.

Only glimpse of hope is that SW NM could be in for higher than average monsoon, if it gets to us soon enough.
Another day of extreme fire danger today ,winds 40mph.
 
Good info. Snowmelt runoff leaving the state tanked with the colder weather. Might rebound next week a touch. Historic median streamflow at state line is > 10kcfs from May 15 thru June, with close to 30 days > 15kcfs. Not this year. April-June runoff volume forecast for the entire basin in your link is dismal.
1653390657318.png

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/dvstat/?referred_module=sw&site_no=09163500&por_09163500_19083=345733,00060,19083,1951-05-01,2021-11-07&format=html_table&stat_cds=p50_va&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_form=parameter_selection_list
 
Had some virga around sunset yesterday, mixed in a sandstorm.
The term drier than a popcorn fart was mentioned to me twice by old timers in town early voting. Bad as it gets, is the common term by locals way older than me. Sand building up around the gramma grass in places.

Only glimpse of hope is that SW NM could be in for higher than average monsoon, if it gets to us soon enough.
Another day of extreme fire danger today ,winds 40mph.
We've received about an inch of precip in two events since last Wednesday. Unfortunately one of those events dropped lots of lightning and started a new fire. Looks like yesterday's moisture helped to call it contained.
 
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
111,158
Messages
1,949,423
Members
35,063
Latest member
theghostbull
Back
Top