Drought Information Statement for Southern NM/Far West TX Valid April 7, 2026 Issued By: NWS El Paso (Santa Teresa, NM) Contact Information: nws.elpaso@noaa.gov This product will be updated May 7, 2026 or sooner if drought conditions change significantly. Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements. Please visit https://www.weather.gov/EPZ/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements. Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/?dews_region=132 for regional drought status updates. Severe (D2) drought status affecting Southwest New Mexico. No drought status for Far West Texas. Record warmth, below normal precipitation in March. Drought conditions for Southwest New Mexico expected to persist in April with near normal precipitation and above normal temperatures. U.S. Drought Monitor Link to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor for southern New Mexico and far west Texas Drought Intensity and Extent D4 (Exceptional Drought) None D3 (Extreme Drought) None D2 (Severe Drought) Portions of Southwest New Mexico including Grant, Otero, Sierra, and Hidalgo Counties Gila and Lincoln National Forests D1 (Moderate Drought) Portions of South-Central New Mexico D0 (Abnormally Dry) Portions of South-Central New Mexico and Far West Texas Recent Change in Drought Intensity Link to the latest 1-month change map for southern New Mexico and far west Texas 4-Week Drought Monitor Class Change. Drought Worsened: Portions of Otero County including Lincoln National Forest Drought Improved: None No Change: Southwest New Mexico, Far West Texas Precipitation 30-day precip totals: 0.15-0.45” for Southwest New Mexico. 0.01-0.15” for South-Central New Mexico and Far West Texas. 90-day precip totals: 1.50-2.50” along I-10 corridor. 2.50-4.00” over mountain forests. Near normal March precipitation 75-100% for portions of Southwest New Mexico, below normal 25-50% for most areas along and east of the Rio Grande. Temperature Record-setting March warmth for all of New Mexico and West Texas. 30-day high temperatures 7-10 degrees above normal March mean average temperature 7.5°F above normal at El Paso International (KELP), new monthly record high. Summary of Impacts Links: See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter Hydrologic Impacts Gila River running below normal due to lack of available snowmelt. Mimbres River and Rio Grande south of the Caballo Dam are dry and will likely remain dry through the spring and early summer seasons. Seasonal snowpack is finishing well below normal (10-20%) for the Gila and Rio Grande watersheds. Elephant Butte storage at 12.8% capacity, slightly higher than last month but well below the historical 30-year average. (Texas Water Development Board). Agricultural Impacts Soil moisture is slightly below normal after a dry March. Outlook points to near normal precipitation in April. 2025 Rio Grande irrigation season ended with a surface water allotment of six inches (6”) per acre. Please refer to the Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) website or your local municipality for more information. Fire Hazard Impacts Periods of critical fire danger are expected in April due to high wind and low humidity. ERCs rose quickly in March due to record warmth and dry conditions, but may decrease across both Gila and Lincoln National Forests due to April precipitation. Fire risk will remain high over the next few months with the spring windy season and early summer heat. Further drying and periods of strong winds could lead to large fire growth in May as mostly dry conditions prevail. Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts Gila River running below normal due to lack of Spring snowmelt. No sudden rises occurred in March. Mimbres River, Rio Grande below Caballo Dam have both run dry for the season. Gila River Stages Latest Flood Stage Discharge Gila 1.32 ft 11.00 ft 47 ft³/s Redrock 4.59 ft 20.00 ft 94 ft³/s Virden 5.15 ft 15.00 ft 59 ft³/s Rio Grande Stages Latest Flood Stage Discharge El Paso Low Stage 8.50 ft None Gauge data recorded on 4/7/2026 Image Caption: USGS 7 day Streamflow Status valid April 7, 2026 Agricultural Impacts Image Captions: Left: CPC Calculated Soil Moisture Ranking Percentile valid April 5, 2026 Right: Palmer Drought Severity Index valid March 29-April 4, 2026 Fire Hazard Impacts Latest TX Burn Ban map available here Latest NM Fire Restrictions available here Image Caption: Significant Wildland Fire Potential Monthly Outlook for April 2026 Link to Wildfire Potential Outlooks from the National Interagency Coordination Center. Seven Day Precipitation Forecast Light rain showers through early April, especially over the Sacramento Mountains and South-Central New Mexico. Monthly forecast leans toward near to above normal April precipitation, which may help short-term drought conditions. 2025-26 winter season precipitation finished above normal for south-central New Mexico and far west Texas, but slightly below normal for western New Mexico. Rapid Onset Drought Outlook Links to the latest Climate Prediction Center 8 to 14 day Temperature Outlook and Precipitation Outlook. Moderate to Severe Drought is already in place across Southwest New Mexico. Rapid onset drought is not expected. Drought conditions are expected to persist across Southwest New Mexico through the spring season. Image Caption: Days 8 to 14 U.S. Hazards Outlook Valid April 14-20 Long-Range Outlooks The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Equal chances for precipitation for Southern New Mexico and Far West Texas. Monthly average precipitation for El Paso: 0.17” 50-60% chance of above normal temperatures for Southern New Mexico, 40-50% chance for above normal temperatures for Far West Texas. Monthly average high temperature for El Paso: 80.0° Drought Outlook The latest monthly and seasonal outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage Drought conditions are expected to persist across Southwest New Mexico. No drought status for South-Central New Mexico and Far West Texas. Near normal April precipitation expected. Links to the latest: Climate Prediction Center Monthly Drought Outlook Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Drought Outlook