Colorado drought update: Little change this week, but rain may be on the way
Colorado's latest drought update brings little overall change, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday, June 19.
CBS
In northeastern Colorado, there was a small but positive shift: conditions have improved from moderate drought to abnormally dry. While it's not a complete recovery, it marks a slight step in the right direction. However, more serious drought concerns persist across western Colorado. Portions of Delta, Mesa, and Montrose counties remain locked in extreme drought. Soil moisture remains low, vegetation is drying out quickly, and the risk of wildfire is elevated in these areas.
CBS
This week, Colorado did receive some beneficial moisture, especially in parts of the Denver metro area and Eastern Plains. But due to the Drought Monitor's data cutoff on Tuesday morning, that rain isn't reflected in this week's analysis. Looking forward, we're tracking a system that could bring much-needed rain to parts of the state early next week.
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CBS News
5 hours ago
- CBS News
Colorado drought update: Little change this week, but rain may be on the way
Colorado's latest drought update brings little overall change, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday, June 19. CBS In northeastern Colorado, there was a small but positive shift: conditions have improved from moderate drought to abnormally dry. While it's not a complete recovery, it marks a slight step in the right direction. However, more serious drought concerns persist across western Colorado. Portions of Delta, Mesa, and Montrose counties remain locked in extreme drought. Soil moisture remains low, vegetation is drying out quickly, and the risk of wildfire is elevated in these areas. CBS This week, Colorado did receive some beneficial moisture, especially in parts of the Denver metro area and Eastern Plains. But due to the Drought Monitor's data cutoff on Tuesday morning, that rain isn't reflected in this week's analysis. Looking forward, we're tracking a system that could bring much-needed rain to parts of the state early next week.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Heatwave latest hit to farmers struggling with increasingly extreme weather
The heatwave is piling more pressure on farmers who were already struggling to produce food in the face of the very dry conditions. Much of the country is sweltering in a heatwave, with temperatures set to climb above 30C in many places over the weekend and an 'amber' heat-health alert issued warning of 'significant' impacts for health services. For farmers, the heatwave threatens to worsen the outlook for food production already struggling off the back of a record-hot and the driest spring in decades that has left north west England and Yorkshire in drought and other regions in prolonged dry conditions. The hot, dry spring came after a record wet spell which left many farmers struggling to sow crops last autumn, and led to warnings earlier this month of potentially the worst harvest on record for major arable crops if conditions did not improve. Farmers say the heatwave, following the dry spring, is putting 'real pressure' on farms across the country, and warn it will affect not just this year's harvest, but food availability into next year. They are warning of the need for investment in more resilient water supplies to help them cope with the more unpredictable extremes that climate change is bringing. National Farmers' Union (NFU) vice-president Rachel Hallos said: 'As the Met Office forecasts a heatwave this weekend, it's yet another reminder of the increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather our farmers and growers are facing. 'After warnings of thunderstorms at the start of the month, this switch to hot, dry weather reinforces just how urgently we need long-term planning and investment in water resilience. 'Drought puts immense pressure on crops, livestock and grass growth and threatens the availability of homegrown fruit and veg. 'Investing in water infrastructure – from on-farm rainwater harvesting to more flexible abstraction rules – will help farmers manage these extremes, grow more fresh produce here in the UK and reduce reliance on imports from other water scarce countries.' Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), who farms in Cambridgeshire, said: 'The ongoing heatwave, following an already dry spring, is putting real pressure on farms across the country. 'Crops are struggling, harvests are coming earlier and lighter, and many farmers are seeing yields fall without any meaningful uplift in prices to offset the loss. 'What's worrying is that this doesn't just hit the current harvest – it will affect food availability into next year too.' He warned most farms do not have infrastructure to store water, and without rainfall they do not have reserves to draw on, and he called for long-term support for water storage and better planning across river catchments. He also said nature-friendly farming plays a 'vital role' in building resilience to weather extremes. 'Practices like improving soil health, using cover crops, and integrating habitats into fields are helping farmers stay productive while cutting back on inputs. 'More support would help farms go further – it's practical, makes business sense, and helps protect the land they rely on,' he said. Earlier this week, the Environment Agency warned England faces 'huge' water shortages of billions of litres a day by the middle of the century to provide for public water supplies as well as for areas such as food and energy production, without action to cut leaks, curb use and build new infrastructure.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Heat advisory issued for Denver area and other parts of Colorado as record breaking heat dome approaches
Several days of record-breaking heat are expected in Denver, and the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory that will go into effect on Friday. The advisory extends into Saturday, and it's for the Denver metro area as well as parts of Colorado's Front Range to the north and south and for much of eastern Colorado as well. Temperatures will be in the range of 100 to 103 degrees as a dome of unseasonably warm heat covers most of the western United States. Those highs will be by far the hottest temperatures of the year so far. Because of the dangerous heat, both Friday and Saturday will be First Alert Weather Days. There's also an air quality alert in place for all of Colorado's Front Range. The heat will elevate ozone levels around Denver and the urban corridor of the Front Range making the air unhealthy for sensitive individuals with breathing issues. Currently that alert is set to last through Thursday at 4 p.m. but it may be extended beyond that period for the duration of the heat wave. File photo of Denver in 2020 Getty Images/iStockphoto The heat wave first oozes into the central Rocky Mountain region on Thursday. Expect temperatures in the upper 90s. Thursday's record is 98 degrees, and the projected high for Denver Thursday is 97. With wind coming into the state out of the southwest there will also be a red flag warning on Thursday in far western Colorado. The heat records in Denver for both Friday and Saturday are 99. Denver's high on Friday is projected to be 101 and the high temperature on Saturday is projected to be 100. Each day, the hottest temperatures will be between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. It's advised to stay hydrated if you have to be outdoors during this time, and to find shade. Otherwise, finding a cool place to stay indoors is recommended.
