Drought Expands Across The Southwest

Above, it didn't seem we were in a drought back in February. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It looks like drought conditions are expanding in the Southwest, according to the National Drought Mitigtion Center.

The Longview News-Journal reported:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Drought is tightening its grip across the Southwest as extreme conditions spread from Oklahoma to Utah, according to a new federal data released Thursday. 

On the southern high plains, Oklahoma remains ground zero for the worst drought conditions in the United States. About 20 percent of the state is facing exceptional drought conditions — the worst possible classification. 

Most of Colorado also is under severe drought and almost all of the Texas Panhandle is seeing extreme drought or worse conditions. 

The federal drought map shows dry conditions have intensified across northern New Mexico and expanded in Arizona. 

Nearly half of New Mexico and Arizona are facing extreme drought or worse conditions while about 60 percent of Utah is under severe drought. according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.

According to the just-released drought map, McKinley County (the county I am in) is in extreme drought. It sure didn't seem that way back in February when we had one snowstorm after another.

To read more, go here.