U.S. Drought Monitor

 (through 4/19/11)
Data Source(s): U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Drought Mitigation Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Due to an active and wet storm track this winter, much of the northern two-thirds of the western U.S. remain drought-free. In the past 30 days, precipitation in much of this region measured between 100 and 200 percent of average. Dry conditions, however, plagued much of the Southwest, and during the last 30 days drought conditions worsened in many parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Severe drought conditions expanded in this period across much of eastern Colorado and southern New Mexico, while extreme drought pushed north and west across southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico. Overall, only 23 percent of the western U.S. is classified with abnormally dry conditions or a more severe drought classification, with 13 percent at the severe to extreme level. A persistent, northerly displaced winter storm track associated with a strong La Niña this winter is largely responsible for the current pattern of drought across the western U.S.

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