Drought expands, according to report

ALBUQUERQUE — Drought is tightening its grip across the American Southwest as extreme conditions spread from Oklahoma to Utah, according to 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 expanded in Arizona and intensified across northern New Mexico.

Royce Fontenot, a senior hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, said the drought has developed rather quickly thanks to a dry winter.

Some areas of Union and Colfax counties in northeastern New Mexico have received less than 5 percent of normal precipitation over the past six months, leaving wheat crops in poor shape. Many areas went over 100 days without moisture.

“That’s incredible, even for New Mexico,” Fontenot said during a briefing Thursday.

Most of the storms that have crossed the region have been what Fontenot calls “dust cutters” rather than drought busters.

In other words, they haven’t produced meaningful snow or rain.