Monday October 3, 2022
The Colorado Sun —
After a summer of high temperatures and a wet monsoon season, Coloradans can expect a dry fall.
As of Thursday, 84% of Colorado is experiencing dry conditions and over 45% of the state is in some form of drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map. Northeastern Colorado is especially dry, with most counties experiencing severe to exceptional levels of drought.
Despite a couple of wet weeks forecast ahead, National Centers for Environmental Information meteorologist Richard Heim, who authored this week’s map, said the fall months are predicted to be warmer and drier than normal in Colorado.
The southwestern U.S. is grappling with its driest 22-year period on record in the past 1,200 years, conditions that are unlikely to improve. Most of Colorado has experienced below-normal precipitation over the past three to five years, Heim said. Western Colorado has been in an extended drought period for at least the past five years.