Record Snowfall and record Low Temperature set in Crestone on Tuesday

(Statement made at 202 am on May 22, 2019, from Keno and the NWS) 

Two weather records were broken on Tuesday at the Crestone/Baca Weather Station. First, a record low temperature was set when the thermometer fell to 26 degrees, breaking the old record for the date of 27 degrees, set in 2001. Then the 1.5 inches of snow that fell was also a record amount of snow for May 21, breaking the old record of 0.2 of an inch, set in 2015.

Latest Drought Info
(Statement made May 16, 2019, from Keno and the NWS) 

As of this latest report, for the first time in 2 years, the greater Crestone area is drough free! The following map and below statment comes from the National Weather Service:

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
National Weather Service National Weather Service Pueblo Co
633 PM MDT Thu May 16 2019

Drought Conditions Continue to Diminish Across South Central and Southeast Colorado

An unseasonably cold weather system which moved across Colorado last week brought rain and higher elevation snow to much of the area, especially the southern mountains, where 1 to 3 inches of liquid precipitation was recorded. This abundant precipitation has helped to erase more of the drought which has had its grip on the Colorado for more than a year.

With that said, the latest Drought Monitor, issued Thursday May 16th 2019, has removed Moderate Drought (D1) conditions across all of Colorado, leaving 11 percent of the state classified as Abnormally Dry (D0) and 89 percent of Colorado as Drought Free. The last time this much of Colorado was classified as Drought Free was August 22nd, 2017, when 84 percent of the state was free of drought and 16 percent of Colorado was Abnormally Dry (D0).

Across south central and southeast Colorado, the latest US Drought Monitor has removed drought conditions across portions of the eastern San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Drought free conditions are indicated across the rest of south central and southeast Colorado, which includes Lake County, Chaffee County, Saguache County, Mineral County, Rio Grande County, the rest of Conejos County, Alamosa County, most of Costilla County, southeastern portions of Teller County, northeastern and southwestern portions of Fremont County, most of El Paso County, northeastern Pueblo County, Crowley County, most of Otero County, eastern portions of Las Animas County, Kiowa County, Bent County, Prowers County and Baca County.

More information about the drought classification can be found at: droughtmonitor.unl.edu/AboutUSDM/DroughtClassification.aspx

DROUGHT IMPACTS...  FIRE DANGER...

Abundant Fall, Winter and early Spring precipitation has helped to ease fire danger across south central and southeast Colorado, with snow cover still in place across much of the higher terrain, along with most of the southeast Plains in greenup at this time.

The latest information on fire bans and restrictions across the area can be found at:
www.coemergency.com/p/fire-bans-danger.html

HYDROLOGIC...

The May 1st Colorado Water Supply Outlook Report indicated statewide precipitation for the month of April came in at 90 percent of average, bringing statewide 2019 Water Year precipitation to 118 percent of average overall.

In the Arkansas Basin, NRCS data indicated April precipitation was 85 percent of average, which brings water year to date precipitation down to 113 percent of average overall.

In the Rio Grande Basin, NRCS data indicated April precipitation was 76 percent of average, which brings water year to date precipitation down to 118 percent of average overall.

Colorado NRCS data indicated statewide snowpack at the end of April was at 123 percent of average overall, which is 211 percent of the available snowpack at this same time last year.

In the Arkansas Basin, NRCS data indicated the May 1st snowpack was at 127 percent of average overall, which is 261 percent of the available snowpack at this same time last year. Again, in stark contrast to last year, the northern and southern portions of the Arkansas Basin are both above normal levels. The Upper Arkansas Sub-Basin came in at 137 percent of average overall at the end of April, as compared to the 73 percent of average snowpack at
this time last year. The Cucharas and Huerfano Sub-Basin came in at 103 percent of average overall at the end of April, as compared to 6 percent of average snowpack at this same time last year. The Purgatoire Sub-Basin came in at 205 percent overall at the end of April, as compared to zero percent of average snowpack at this same time last year.

In the Rio Grande Basin, NRCS data indicated the May 1st snowpack was at 124 percent of average overall, which is 1,079 percent of the available snowpack at this same time last year.

NRCS data also indicated statewide water storage was at 90 percent of average overall at the end of April, as compared to 111 percent of average storage available statewide at this same time last year.

In the Arkansas Basin, water storage at the end of April came in at 92 percent of average, as compared to 129 percent of average storage available at this same time last year.

In the Rio Grande Basin, water storage at the end of April came in at 79 percent of average, as compared to 115 percent of average storage available at this same time last year.

The May 1st report also stated that with runoff season upon us, volumetric forecasts remain above normal for most of Colorado`s major streams.

In the Arkansas Basin, current streamflow forecasts range from 97 percent of average for Grape Creek near Westcliffe, to 138 percent of average for the Arkansas River at Salida.

In the Rio Grande Basin, current streamflow forecasts range from 109 percent of average for Culebra Creek at San Luis, to 150 percent of average for the Rio Grande River at Wagon Wheel Gap.

CLIMATE SUMMARY...

Here are a few statistics for select south central and southeast Colorado locations, indicating observed precipitation totals and departure from normals for the past month, past 3 months, past 6 months and past 365 days:

...............PAST........PAST 3......PAST 6.......PAST 365........
...............MONTH.......MONTHS......MONTHS.......DAYS............
...............TOTAL/DEP...TOTAL/DEP...TOTAL/DEP....TOTAL/DEP.......
...............INCHES......INCHES......INCHES.......INCHES..........

ALS Airport    0.80/+0.21  2.59/+1.21  4.24/+1.83   8.87/+1.56
COS Airport    1.04/-0.38  2.55/-0.21  3.21/-0.61  15.99/-0.55
PUB Airport    0.07/-1.33  1.64/-0.99  2.58/-1.25   8.52/-4.05

Lamar          0.19/-1.13  1.83/-0.70  2.83/-0.78  13.95/-1.25
Campo 7S   0.16/-1.17  1.62/-1.09  2.76/-1.21  20.99/+4.03
Canon City  0.75/-0.78  2.20/-0.93  3.96/-0.85  12.34/-1.13
Westcliffe   1.45/-0.13  3.81/+0.45  5.19/-0.36  11.28/-3.27
Walsenburg 1NW 1.36/-0.82  2.64/-2.41  6.01/-2.11  15.19/-2.85
Trinidad       1.11/-0.17  2.73/-0.29  4.50/-0.43  10.87/-5.44
Crestone 2SE 0.71/-0.41  4.05/+1.38  5.67/+1.22  11.37/-1.89
Del Norte 2E   1.27/+0.44  3.52/+1.50  4.95/+1.42  10.83/+0.27
Buena Vista 2S 0.73/-0.27  3.06/+0.95  4.25/+1.04   8.63/-1.96
Climax         3.82/+1.34 11.19/+4.71 18.63/+6.25  27.02/+3.04

PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK...

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlook for the two next weeks indicates better chances of below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado. The outlook for rest May, June and July gives equal chances for above, below and near normal temperatures across south central Colorado, with a slight nod to below normal temperatures for southeast Colorado. As for precipitation, the outlook gives better chances for above normal precipitation across all of south central and southeast Colorado.

RELATED WEB SITES...

Additional informations on current drought conditions may be found at: www.droughtmonitor.unl.edu

www.weather.gov/pub/

The drought monitor is a multi-agency effort involving The National Drought Mitigation Center, NOAA`s National Weather Service, The USDA and state and regional center climatologists. Information for this statement has been gathered from NWS and FAA observation sites, Colorado Cooperative Extension Services, The NRCS, USDA, USACE and USGS.

If you have any questions or comments about this drought information statement, please contact:

National Weather Service Forest Office
3 Eaton Way
Pueblo, Colorado 81007
Phone: 719-948-9429

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