Drought Information Statement for South Central and Southeast Colorado  
Valid January 20th, 2024
Issued By: NWS Pueblo, Colorado 
Contact Information: nws.pueblo@noaa.gov
This product will be updated by Feb 12th, 2024 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly.  
Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements.
Please visit https://www.weather.gov/pub/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. 

U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought intensity and Extent
D4 Exceptional Drought:  N/A 
D3 Extreme Drought:  Portions of Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos and Costilla counties.  
D2 Severe Drought:  Portions of Saguache, Mineral, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos and Costilla counties.   
D1 Moderate Drought:  Portions of Saguache, Mineral, Alamosa, Custer, Costilla, Huerfano and Las Animas counties.
D0: Abnormally Dry:  Portions of Lake, Chaffee,   Fremont, Teller, Custer, Pueblo, Huerfano, Las Animas and  Kiowa counties.  


Recent Change in Drought Intensity
Four Week Drought Monitor Class Change. 
Drought Worsened:  Portions of Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, Custer, Pueblo and Costilla counties.
No Change: Most of south central Colorado.
Drought Improved: The southeast Plains.  
 
Precipitation
After a dry start to the 2024 Water Year (Oct 2023-Sept 2024), precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado picked up in the month of December and through January of 2024 thus far. 

Summary of Impacts

Hydrologic Impacts 
While statewide snowpack was running below median (68%) at the end of December, storms through January thus far have boosted statewide snowpack to 92 percent of median with the most gains across the Northern and Central mountains. 

Agricultural Impacts
Soil moisture deficits remain in place across portions of south central Colorado. 

Fire Hazard Impacts
Cool and wet conditions throughout the past month has lessened fire danger across south central and southeast Colorado. However, cured fuels and strong winds, will occasionally boost fire danger to moderate across the snow free areas of south central and southeast Colorado. 

Mitigation Actions
Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information.

Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts
Current stream flows are at or above normal across most of south central and southeast Colorado, with some ice jams being reported along the mid Arkansas River.

NRCS data indicated statewide mountain precipitation for the month of December was at 93 percent of median, as compared to 159 percent of median at this time last year. Water Year to date precipitation is 75 percent of median, as compared to 107 percent last year. 

In the Arkansas basin, December precipitation came in at 100 percent of median, as compared to 90 percent of median at this time last year. Water Year to date precipitation is 77 percent of median, as compared to 82 percent last year. 

In the Arkansas basin, December precipitation came in at 84 percent of median, as compared to 92 percent of median at this time last year. Water Year to date precipitation is at 62 percent of median, as compared to 86 percent of median last year. 

Hydrologic Conditions Colorado Snowpack  
As of January 20th, Colorado Statewide Snowpack was running at 92 percent of median. 
In the Arkansas basin, snowpack was at 84 percent of median.
In the Upper Rio Grande basin, snowpack was at 70 percent of median, and the lowest in the state. 

Agricultural and Water Storage Impacts
CPC data indicates soil moisture deficits across portions of south central Colorado. 

NRCS data indicates statewide Colorado Reservoir Storage was at 100 percent of median at the end of December, as compared to 78 percent of median at this same time last year.  
In the Arkansas basin, reservoir storage was at 107 percent of median at the end of December, as compared to 84 percent of median at this same time last year.  
In the Rio Grande  basin, reservoir storage was at 121 percent of median at the end of December, as compared to 106 percent of median at this same time last year.  

Fire Hazard Impacts
Unseasonably cool and wet conditions throughout the past month has lessened fire danger across south central and southeast Colorado.  

Long-Range Outlooks
The CPC Temperature and Precipitation Outlook for the month of February leans to equal chances of above, below and near normal temperatures and precipitation across south central and southeast Colorado. 

Drought Outlook
Drought conditions are predicted to persist across portions of south central Colorado  through the rest of January and February.