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High Plains Weekly Drought Update - April 9, 2020
Author: Gannon Rush - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2020-04-09 17:31:31
Updated:
According to the U.S Drought Monitor, changes were made to drought conditions in southern Colorado and Kansas this past week. Severe drought (D2) conditions were introduced in south-central Colorado and slightly expanded in southwest Kansas. Abnormally dry (D0) conditions were reduced in the tri-state area of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas after recent precipitation.
As of April 8th, snow water equivalent (SWE) values in Colorado basins were reported as near to above median, resulting in a statewide snowpack of 101% of median. As of April 6th, SWE values in Wyoming basins were also reported as near to above median, with the exception of the Sweetwater and Belle Fourche basins.
The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook has increased chances for below-normal temperatures throughout the High Plains. Chances for above-normal precipitation are present in much of Wyoming, Colorado, western Kansas, and southwest Nebraska. Meanwhile, below-normal precipitation is favored for the Dakotas, extreme northeastern Wyoming, eastern Nebraska, and eastern Kansas. The National Weather Service’s 7-day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast predicts that scattered precipitation will occur throughout most of the High Plains, with the greatest amounts expected in northern Wyoming.
