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Weekly Drought Update - March 21, 2019
Author: Crystal Stiles - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2019-03-21 19:03:45
Updated:
A strong storm system that crossed the High Plains region during the previous week brought blizzard conditions to much of the western High Plains and widespread record-setting flooding to areas of eastern Nebraska. As a result, improvements continued to be made to areas experiencing drought conditions in the region. The percent area of the region experiencing abnormal dryness or drought (D0-D4) was cut in half this week on the U.S. Drought Monitor map, thanks to widespread improvements. Extreme drought (D3) was removed from southern Colorado, and only small areas of severe drought (D2) remained in this area. Moderate drought (D1) was reduced throughout portions of Colorado, and abnormal dryness (D0) was removed from portions of northern and central Colorado, southern Wyoming, and the Nebraska Panhande.
Mountain snowpack was near normal in Wyoming during the past week, while Colorado snowpack remained above normal.
The Climate Prediction Center's 6-10 day outlook indicates an increased chance of above-normal temperatures throughout Colorado, with an increased chance of above-normal precipitation for a large portion of the High Plains. The National Weather Service 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast indicates that precipitation is likely throughout much of the High Plains during the next week, with the greatest amounts expected over western and eastern portions of Nebraska and Kansas.
