Drought conditions worsened in Cortez over the past month of dry, abnormally warm weather, according to the Drought Monitor. Despite this streak of rain, drought is expected to persist for the next month.
Zooming out nationally, a new federal outlook shows drought conditions are expected to expand across much of the western United States and parts of the Plains this spring. According to NOAA, more than half of the country was already experiencing some level of drought as of mid-March, driven by a warm, dry winter and low snowpack across the West.
Forecasters say drought is likely to persist in many western regions, including the Rockies and Southwest, with below-average precipitation expected through June. At the same time, above-normal temperatures are forecast across much of the country, which could further stress water supplies and agriculture.
While flood risk is generally expected to be normal to below normal this spring due to dry soils and reduced snowpack, officials caution that heavy rainfall could still trigger localized flooding events.
