CIBOLA COUNTY Experiencing its 38th driest May on record, the drought situation in Cibola has shown significant improvements since April. The percentage of land and population under drought has decreased markedly, offering some relief to the county's residents and agricultural sector.
Drought Across Cibola in May
The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies the severity of drought using five categories, ranging from the least severe designation, 'Abnormally Dry' (D0), to the most severe, 'Exceptional Drought' (D4).
• Abnormally Dry (D0) - 53.51 percent of Cibola is affected, showing a decrease from April when 57.84 percent of the county was affected.
• Moderate Drought (D1) – 1.44 percent of Cibola is affected, a significant decrease from April when 9.08 percent of the county was affected.
• Severe Drought (D2) – 0 percent of the county is affected, continuing from April and previous months, where no areas were recorded.
• Extreme Drought (D3) - No areas recorded, the same as in April and previous months.
• Exceptional Drought (D4) - No areas recorded, the same as in
April and previous months.
Impact to Cibola’s Agriculture
In May, 448 acres of hay were found to be in drought, the same as in April. The acreage of haylage in drought remained constant at 30 acres, showing no change from the previous month. This stability in drought-affected hay acreage indicates that conditions for these agricultural resources have not worsened over the past month.
Effecting livestock, 10,281 cattle and 3,026 sheep were found to be in drought during May. This is the same number of livestock affected as in April, indicating no change in the situation for Cibola’s livestock.
A total of 392 people in Cibola County are affected by drought, which represents 1.4 percent of the county’s population. This marks a significant decrease of 84.1 percent since last month, indicating substantial improvements in drought conditions for the population.
“Exceptional Drought” Tracking
“Exceptional Drought” is the worst level of drought Cibola could be designated. Currently, there is not a piece of land in the county that is affected by “Exceptional Drought.”
2013 was the first time Cibola entered the “exceptional” category, the rating lasted for several months before ending.
While the county remained in drought, it was not given the “exceptional” rating again until 2020. The rating was assigned in December and persisted through most of 2021.
May of 2022 saw the worst “Exceptional Drought” in county history. The United States Drought Monitor tracks the severity and length of drought across the country. The severity of 2022’s “Exceptional Drought” was starkly worse than either of the previous two times this rating was assigned to Cibola. However, 2022’s situation lasted for a shorter amount of time than either of the previous two instances.
In 2022, Cibola suffered through the driest May over the past 300 years of drought tracking in the county, the area was suffering so badly that scientists who conduct drought tracking declared Cibola was in an “Exceptional Drought” the worst level of drought recognized by the federal government.
In June 2022, a large wildfire, the Cerro Bandera Fire, destroyed 939 acres of land in the Zuni Mountains. Fire personnel in Cibola rallied together after the fire, asking for increased fire restrictions through the month of June, especially because the Independence Day holiday was rapidly approaching, and residents often celebrated with fireworks. At the time, the drought rating in Cibola was at the highest rating recognized by federal authorities who track drought across the country. Increased rainfall at the end of June, continued through August, was enough for local governments to lift some fireworks and open burning restrictions. Rainfall, despite expectations by meteorologists, did not stop fully but has decreased from earlier months. Cibola’s drought conditions have improved measurably since the driest days of 2022.
The last time Cibola entered Exceptional Drought was in the middle of May 2023. The drought hit its peak in the middle of June, reaching the point where 40 percent of the county was impacted by this drought. This spell lasted about a month, improving near the end of June.
While not under Exceptional Drought standards, Cibola did experience a temporary fire break out in the Zuni Mountains at the end of June 2024. The Encerrita Fire was lit by a lightning strike and was put out by crews within a week before the July 4 holiday.
Historical Context and Data Sources
May was the 38th driest on record over the past 130 years, with a decrease of 0.47 inches from normal. Year-to-date (January- May 2024), it has been the 42nd wettest period over the past 130 years, with an increase of 0.55 inches from normal.
The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) is a tool used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has been tracking drought in the Cibola area since 2006. They use historical data and environmental sampling to get a drought reading on years prior, extending back to 1894, providing 300 years of data.
Much of the data utilized by the Cibola Citizen comes from NIDIS, NOAA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). These entities supply data for Cibola’s acreage of hay, the number of livestock, and the population affected by drought.