Colorado drought improves slightly after recent rainfall, but severe conditions remain

Recent rainfall brought small improvements to Colorado's drought conditions, but nearly half the state remains in Extreme or Exceptional Drought.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows improvement across every drought category, with the biggest gains across the eastern plains and parts of northwest Colorado.

The percentage of the state in Exceptional Drought (D4), the most severe category, dropped from 13.68% to 11.97%. Extreme Drought (D3) decreased from 47.52% to 44.13%, while Severe Drought (D2) dropped from 78.87% to 75.01%.

The amount of Colorado considered drought-free increased, from 4.06% to 6.19%.

Parts of Weld, Morgan, Logan, Prowers, Baca and Kiowa counties saw improvements following recent rainfall.

In northwest Colorado, portions of Moffat County improved from Extreme to Severe Drought.

Some areas, however, missed out on the beneficial rain. Drought conditions slightly worsened in parts of Archuleta, La Plata, Conejos, Costilla, Alamosa and Gunnison counties.

Denver and Jefferson counties remain in Severe and Extreme Drought, although portions of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties saw small improvements.

Long-range forecast models show increased chances for above-average precipitation this fall, along with above-normal temperatures.

While the recent rain is a step in the right direction, Colorado still has a long way to go. Nearly half of the state remains in Extreme or Exceptional Drought, meaning much more consistent precipitation will be needed to make a significant dent in the ongoing drought.