Laserfiche WebLink
<br />INTERMOUNTAIN WEST CLIMATE SUMMARY, JUNE 2006 <br /> <br />u.s. Drought Monitor conditions as of 6/13/06 <br /> <br />Source: u.s. Department of Agriculture, National Drought Mitigation Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration <br /> <br />According to the National Drought Monitor Summary on <br />June 13,2006, areas of the Intermountain West designated as in <br />drought status remain relatively unchanged for Utah, but now <br />include all of Colorado and all but western Wyoming. The <br />intensity of drought has increased in eastern Colorado, with <br />southeastern Colorado moving from D2 Drought (severe) status <br />to D3 (extreme). Drought categories \vere all shifted more to the <br />\vest this \veek as \vater supply issues and agricultural concerns <br />have become \vorse. Drought intensity has also increased for <br />central and southern Wyoming, and for the central high plains, <br />including western Nebraska and Kansas. April through June is <br />normally the wettest time of the year for the central High Plains, <br />and non-irrigated crops and pastures depend upon this precipita- <br />ti on. <br /> <br /> <br />..... . ~ <br /> <br />~Q <br /> <br />.~ <br /> <br />~ <br />~C(:) <br /> <br />{) <br /> <br /> <br />North central Colorado had the most drought impact reports <br />in the Intermountain West region, especially in Weld County. <br />According to the National Drought Monitor Summary, irrigation <br />\vells \vere being shut off in parts of Colorado to ensure flows <br />into the South Platte River basin. The lack of irrigation could <br />result in millions of acres of croplands drying out and left to die <br />if rains don't occur. In the southwest portions of Colorado near <br />Durango, D2 conditions \vere expanded north from Ne\v Mexico <br />due to melting of remaining snowpack tracking 2 to 4 \veeks <br />earlier than normal and several fire restrictions in place. Peak <br />flo\vs have already occurred in many of the rivers and streams <br />in this region because of the earlier-than-normal influx of \vater <br />into these watersheds. <br /> <br />Drought Intensity <br />D DO Abnormally Dry <br />D D1 Drought - Moderate <br />. D2 Drought - Severe <br />. D3 Drought - Extreme <br />. D4 Drought - Exceptional <br /> <br />Drought Impact Types <br />r' Delineates dominant impacts <br />A = Agricultural (crops, pastures, grasslands) <br />H = Hydrological (water) <br />(No type = Both impacts) <br /> <br />Figure 4. Drought Monitor released June 15, 2006 (full size) and last month May 16, 2006 (inset, lower left) for comparison. <br /> <br />Notes <br />The U.S. Drought Monitor (Figure 4) is released weekly (every Thursday) and represents data collected through the previous <br />Tuesday. The inset (lower left) shows the western United States from the previous month's map. <br />The U.S. Drought Monitor maps are based on expert assessment of variables including (but not limited to) the Palmer Drought <br />Severity Index, soil moisture, streamflow, precipitation, and measures of vegetation stress, as well as reports of drought impacts. It <br />is a joint effort of the several agencies; the author of this monitor is Rich Tinker of the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. <br /> <br />On the Web <br />- For the most recent Drought Monitor, visit: http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html. <br />This site also includes archives of past drought monitors <br />- Drought Impact Reporter (National Drought Mitigation Center): http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/ <br /> <br /> <br />RECENT CONDITIONS I 7 <br />