U.S. Drought Monitor

 (through 3/15/11)
Data Source(s): U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Drought Mitigation Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Drought conditions across the western U.S. have changed little over the past 30 days due to an active weather pattern that has brought average to above-average precipitation to most areas except Arizona, New Mexico, and eastern Colorado (Figure 3). Much of the Southwest has missed out on winter storm activity and precipitation that has fallen over the past 30 days, causing drought conditions to expand and intensify. Severe drought has expanded to cover almost all of eastern Colorado while moderate drought conditions have expanded across portions of New Mexico and Arizona. Extreme drought has also crept into extreme southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico over the past 30 days. These areas have observed less than a quarter of their normal winter season precipitation with little chance of making up any ground over the upcoming normally hot and dry spring season.

Notes: