Update on Drought Conditions in the High Plains Region - March 3, 2015

Once again most our area saw slightly below normal temperatures and received below normal precipitation. Because of this week’s weather, nowhere in the High Plains had any improvement or degradation in drought conditions.

Southwestern Colorado, on the other hand, received 12-24 inches of snow over the week, which dramatically improved snowpack conditions to normal in a few drainage basins. However, no changes were made to drought conditions in this area due to some remaining uncertainties.

Over the next week temperatures in our region, and most of the United States, will be above normal. The central High Plains will likely be dry according to the Climate Prediction Center, while southwestern Colorado will likely be wetter than normal.

To learn more about the U.S. Drought Monitor, please see: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu

To see the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, please see the Climate Prediction Center here:http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary.html

To see the areas of agriculture affected by the drought, please see the USDA link: http://www.usda.gov/oce/weather/Drought/AgInDrought.pdf

To see the impacts of the drought, please see the Drought Impact Reporter here: http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

Check out the table below for the drought conditions over the past 2 months for the High Plains Region.

To view statistics of the High Plains Region and each state check out the Regional Statistics here: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/MapsAndData/DataTables.aspx

Drought Condition (Percent Area): High Plains Region