Precipitation data from across Cibola County has been made available by the Northern Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. This graph reveals 20 months of data, from January 2023 through August 2024.
After peaking at approximately 18 inches (457mm) in May 2023, the rainfall experienced a steady decline, reaching its lowest point of around 10 inches (254mm) by November 2023. This significant drop coincided with the end of the summer growing season, stressing local crops and grazing lands.
From December 2023 to March 2024, precipitation remained low, fluctuating between 9 and 11 inches (229–279mm). However, a rise began in May, climbing back to about 13 inches (330mm) by August 2024.
The Cibola Citizen has been unable to deliver the regular drought report since July due to staffing and page space restraints. The newspaper apologizes for this lack of drought reporting. When page space is available, the newspaper will publish a comprehensive drought report including this additional data on precipitation which is expected to bolster the report moving forward.