Drought Determination Page

Drought Severity Classification

Category	Description
D0	Abnormally Dry
`Possible Impacts: Going into drought: short-term dryness slowing planting, growth of crops or pastures. Coming out of drought: some lingering water deficits; pastures or crops not fully recovered`
D1	Moderate Drought
Some damage to crops, pastures; streams, reservoirs, or wells low, some water shortages developing or imminent; voluntary water-use restrictions requested
D2	Severe Drought
Crop or pasture losses likely; water shortages common; water restrictions imposed
D3	Extreme Drought
Major crop/pasture losses; widespread water shortages or restrictions
D4	Exceptional Drought
Exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses; shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells creating water emergencies

U.S. DROUGHT OUTLOOKS (NWS Climate Prediction Center - CPC)

One Month Drought Outlook	Seasonal Drought Outlook (3 months)

DROUGHT TRACKER, VEGETATION, and QUICK DROUGHT INDICES FOR COLORADO

Westwide Drought Tracker (Western Region Climate Center)	Vegetation Drought Response (Natl Drought Mitigation Center)	Quick Drought Response Index (Natl Drought Mitigation Center)

SOIL MOISTURE

10 cm soils in Colorado (Colorado Climate Center)	top meter soils in Colorado (Colorado Climate Center)	U.S. Soils, Crops & Drought (NWS Climate Prediction Center)
		Soil Moisture Percentiles or Topsoil Moisture Monitoring or Soil Moisture Anomaly Percentile or Soil Moisture Percentile or Crop Moisture Index or Integrated Drought Indices or Palmer Drought Index Percentiles or Standardized Runoff Index

U.S. Drought Monitor Classification Change - Colorado

3 month	6 month	12 month

Drought Data Links

Latest Southern Colorado Drought Information Statement
Colorado Climate Center Drought Summary
CSU Extension Drought Resource Page
USDA Colorado Crop Progress and Condition
National Integrated Drought Information System (NDIS)

NRCS SNOWPACK SWE MAP links (below or click here)

% of Median Basins & SNOTEL Sites	% of Median River Basin only	% of Median SNOTEL sites only
Colorado Basins (static map) or CO Basins (interactive) or CO Subbasins (interactive) or	Colorado (static map) or Colorado Basins (interactive) Colorado Subbasins (interactive) Westwide Basins (static map) or Westwide Basins (interactive)	Colorado (static map) or Westwide (static map) or CO (interactive) or West of Divide (CBRFC)

NRCS SNOWPACK SWE (snow water equivalent)

NRCS Basin Recent Years (static) Graphs (below or click here)

Arkansas River Basin Last 4 Years	Rio Grande River Basin Last 4 Years

Statewide - Last 4 Years Arkansas Basin - Last 4 Years	Rio Grande Basin - Last 4 Years

NRCS Basin Extreme Years (static) Graphs (below or click here)

Arkansas River Basin High/Low Years	Rio Grande River Basin High/Low Years

Statewide - High/Low Years Arkansas Basin - High/Low Years	Rio Grande - High/Low Years

NRCS Basin and Subbasin (interactive) Graphs (below or click here)

Statewide and Basins in South Central and Southeast Colorado. SNOTEL sites	Subbasins in the Arkansas River Basin	Subbasins in Rio Grande Basin
Arkansas River Basin Upper Arkansas River Basin Upper Rio Grande Basin State of Colorado Individual SNOTEL sites	Upper Arkansas Headwaters Cucharas & Huerfano Purgatorie	Alamosa Creek Conejoes & Rio San Antonio Culebra & Trinchera Creek

SNOWFALL MAPS

NWS Snowfall Analysis & Reports	Colorado CoCoRaHS Reports	NWS Monthly Snowfall
Snowfall Reports Map (interactive) (from 1 to 72 hr slider) or 7am Contour Map (interactive) (24, 48 or 72 hr snowfall)	Google Snowfall Map (interactive) (change to Snowfall top left corner) or New Snow H20 content (interactive) or Snowfall Map (click a county)	NC/NE Colorado Maps

SNOW DEPTH MAPS

NOHRSC Colorado Map	Colorado CoCoRaHS Reports	NRCS Colorado Snow Depths
Modeled Snow Depths Modeled Snow Depth Change Modeled Snow Depth SWE	Google Snow Depth Map (change to Snow Depth top left) or New Snow Depth (interactive) or Snow Depth Maps (click county)	Snow Depth Map (static) or Snow Depth Map (interactive)

NWS NOHRSC CURRENT SNOW DEPTH, SWE, and SNOW MELT MAPS

Central Rockies including Western Colorado (below or click here)

Snow Depth

Snow Depth SWE Change

Snow Melt

Western Plains including Eastern Colorado (below or click here)

Snow Depth

Snow Depth SWE Change

Snow Melt

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS

Hourly Graphs	Colorado Maps	U.S. Maps (travel)
Gridpoint Forecasts type in lat lon (out 2 days)	Graphical Forecasts (interactive) (to 7 days)	Loop of Expected Weather (0.5 to 2.5 days) Daily Forecast Weather (3 days) or Graphical Forecasts (interactive) (to 7 days)

PAST PRECIPITATION
(courtesy of the High Plains Regional Climate Center)

Percent of Normal Precipitation in Colorado

Last 7 days	Last 30 days	Last 90 days	Oct 1st-water year

Average Precipitation Departure from Normal in Colorado

Last 7 days	Last 30 days	Last 90 days	Oct 1st-water year

U.S. PRECIPITATION OUTLOOKS
(NWS Climate Prediction Center)

6 - 10 Day Outlook	8 - 14 Day Outlook	Week 3-4 Outlook

One Month Outlook	Three Month Outlook	following 3 Month Outlook

PAST TEMPERATURES
(courtesy of the High Plains Regional Climate Center)

Average Temperature Departure from Normal in Colorado

Last 7 days	Last 30 days	Last 90 days	Since Oct 1st-water year

U.S. TEMPERATURE OUTLOOKS
(NWS Climate Prediction Center)

6 - 10 Day Outlook	8 - 14 Day Outlook	Week 3-4 Outlook

One Month Outlook	Three Month Outlook	following 3 Month Outlook

RESERVOIR STORAGE
Usable Storage (courtesy of the NRCS)

% of Average Colorado Maps	% of Average Westwide Map	Average Departure Basin Graphs
Individual Reservoirs (interactive) or Colorado Basins (static)	Individual Reservoirs (interactive)	Arkansas River Basin (static) or Rio Grande Basin (static) or other Colorado basins (static) or all Colorado basins (static)

STREAMFLOW

USGS WaterWatch	USGS DroughtWatch	NRCS Adjusted Volume Observed
Real-time compared to historical or 7-day average to historical or 14-day average to historical or 28-day average to historical or Monthly average to historical	Below normal 7-day average or Below normal 14-day average or Below normal 28-day average or Below normal Monthly average	% of Average Individual Sites or Water Year to Date Percentiles

WATER SUPPLY FORECASTS
January through June

NWS Map	NRCS Map
Western Water Supply Forecasts	Colorado Streamflow Forecasts