GRANTS, N.M. – The latest U.S. Drought Monitor update shows drought conditions intensifying across Cibola County, with no part of the county classified as drought-free, abnormally dry or only in moderate drought.
According to data valid May 19, 100% of Cibola County is now in drought. The county is split between Severe Drought and Extreme Drought, with 37.05% of the county in Severe Drought and 62.95% in Extreme Drought.
In plain terms, the drought has not simply lingered – it has worsened. With nearly twothirds of the county now in Extreme Drought, the U.S. Drought Monitor is signaling that impacts are expected to be more widespread and more serious than during recent weeks when more of the county remained in Severe Drought.
The latest drought classification is consistent with the broader weather pattern seen across recent local data. Several recent precipitation maps have shown little to no meaningful moisture across much of the county, while 30-day precipitation data has continued to show Cibola running below normal overall. Warmer-thannormal temperatures have also increased evaporation and helped dry vegetation, while the loss of spring snowpack in the Zuni/Bluewater basin has reduced the slow-release snowmelt that normally supports spring runoff and reservoir recharge.
The pattern is clear: not enough water is coming into the system, while warm conditions are helping pull more water out. The result is a continued slide from Severe Drought toward Extreme Drought across much of Cibola County.
Courtesy Photo