PUB 20210319 <![CDATA[ National Weather Service National Weather Service Pueblo Co 150 PM MST Fri Feb 19 2021 COC003-009-011-015-021-023-025-027-041-043-055-061-065-071-079-089- 099-101-105-109-119-262100- 150 PM MST Fri Feb 19 2021 ...Improvements in the Drought Across South Central Colorado... SYNOPSIS... Late January and early February storm systems have provided some beneficial precipitation across portions of south central Colorado. This is especially true for the higher terrain of the central and southwest mountains, where current NRCS SNOTEL data indicate snowpack in the Upper Rio Grande basin and in the Arkansas basin being the only basins across the state at or above normal to date. With that said, the latest US Drought Monitor, issued Thursday February 16th 2021, now indicates severe drought (D2) conditions across Mineral County, western portions of Conejos and Rio Grande Counties, the western half of Saguache County, as well as all of Lake and Chaffee Counties. The latest US Drought Monitor also continues to indicate exceptional drought (D4) conditions persisting across central portions of Kiowa County and extreme northeastern portions of Teller County into northern portions of El Paso County. Extreme drought (D3) conditions are indicated across the rest of Kiowa County, northern and extreme eastern portions of Bent County, Prowers County, and northeastern Baca County. Extreme drought (D3) conditions are also depicted across most of the rest of Teller and El Paso Counties, northern Pueblo and Crowley Counties, extreme northeastern Otero County, as well as southwestern portions of Las Animas County, southern Costilla County, and extreme southeastern Conejos County. Severe drought (D2) conditions remain indicated across extreme southwestern portions of Teller and El Paso Counties, northern portions of Fremont County, central portions of Pueblo County, the rest of Crowley County, northern portions of Otero County, north central to southeastern portions of Bent County, and the rest of Baca County. Severe Drought (D2) conditions are also indicated across the eastern 2/3rds of Huerfano County, northeastern to southeastern Las Animas County, as well as the rest of Costilla County and eastern Conejos County. Moderate drought (D1) conditions are depicted across eastern Saguache and Rio Grande Counties, northeastern Conejos County, Alamosa County, northern Huerfano County, Custer County, and southern Fremont County...]]> <![CDATA[READ MORE ABOUT THIS NWS DROUGHT STATEMENT AT: https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=HUN&issuedby=PUB&product=DGT]]>