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Drought Conditions in the High Plains Region - Update December 6
Author: Joseph Brum - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2012-12-06 15:18:11
Updated: 2012-12-13 15:41:54
The drought situation in the High Plains Region is much the same as last week. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the total area of severe drought (D2) or worse conditions increased slightly, to now total 86.41% of the Region. The area with moderate drought (D1) type conditions in the Region remained relatively the same, totaling 93.40%. In Kansas, there was a downgrade in drought conditions in the eastern portion of the state, where D2 type drought has taken over. Only 0.66% of the state has a drought condition better than D2. In North Dakota, there also was an upgrade in the northwestern portion of the state. This area was upgraded from D1 to abnormally dry (D0). The drought conditions in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming did not change this week versus last week. To learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, please see: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu
In Colorado, there was a downgrade in drought conditions in the north-central part of the state, along with the eastern portion of the state. In the north-central part of the state D2 type conditions expanded about 2%. The area of D2 now totals 95.06% of the state. In the eastern portion of the state exceptional drought (D4) expanded about 1%. This expansion now has the total area of D4 in Colorado back up to 13.48%. Other portions of the state had drought conditions remain the same compared to last week. Check out the table below for the drought conditions over the past month for Colorado. For more on the drought situation in Colorado check out this site: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/drought/
To view more statistics of the High Plains Region and each state check out the Tabular Statistics here: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_highplains.htm
Drought Condition (Percent Area): Colorado
| Date | None | D0-D4 | D1-D4 | D2-D4 | D3-D4 | D-4 |
| 12/04/2012 | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 95.06 | 53.43 | 13.48 |
| 11/27/2012 | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 93.27 | 51.05 | 12.56 |
| 11/20/2012 | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 91.52 | 48.56 | 12.56 |
| 11/13/2012 | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 91.52 | 48.56 | 12.50 |
| 11/06/2012 | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 91.33 | 48.56 | 13.69 |
| 10/30/2012 | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 91.33 | 51.05 | 14.01 |