Widespread short- and long-term drought conditions are currently plaguing New Mexico, and much of the Southwest.
During a drought briefing of the Intermountain West Tuesday – that includes the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming – scientists predicted bleak drought conditions in the foreseeable future.
Curtis Riganti is with the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska.
“Much of the Sangre De Cristo mountains and going into the San Juan mountains here in Colorado and Northern New Mexico, we’re primarily seeing below normal snowpack for this time of year,” Riganti said. “We’re somewhat early in the cold season still, so there could be time for this snowpack to balloon.”
Riganti said drought conditions have expanded again in parts of the Four Corners region, largely as a result of a very dry and warm monsoon season.
Taking a closer look at New Mexico specifically, nearly 97% of the state is in drought – the highest in the region.
Drought is measured in four levels: moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4). Currently, 43% of New Mexico ranges from extreme to exceptional.
In terms of reservoirs, northern New Mexico is also seeing unusually low water levels along with other important reservoirs like Lakes Powell and Mead, which feed the Colorado river.
