Drought Status
Drought Status
Drought Status
The Arizona Drought Monitoring Technical Committee confers weekly to advise the U.S. Drought Monitor authors on the current drought conditions in Arizona, and makes recommendations about the position of the drought boundaries for Arizona. The U.S. Drought Monitor is the official record of drought for Federal drought relief claims. Information used by the MTC in advising the Drought Monitor authors includes numerous drought indices, precipitation and stream flow data, and impacts data. Every Thursday, the Drought Status web page automatically updates with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map of Arizona.
Monthly Drought Status Summary: OCTOBER 2022
Much of Arizona received above-average precipitation for October (average statewide precipitation for October is 0.87 inches). Mohave, Yuma, western Pima, and western Coconino counties received below-average precipitation. While western counties experienced largely above-average October temperatures, temperatures throughout southeastern counties were well below-average.
Central Arizona advanced to Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions, which is technically not drought, and it now covers most the state (53%). Northern Apache, northern Navajo, western La Paz, and southwestern Coconino counties improved from Severe (D2) to Moderate (D1) drought; with Moderate (D1) drought continuing in Yuma, La Paz, and central Coconino counties (34%). Western Mohave, northern Coconino, southeastern Cochise, western Santa Cruz, and eastern Pima remained in Severe (D2) drought (13%). The state did not observe any Extreme (D3) or Exceptional (D4) drought in October.
La Niña conditions will continue into early 2023 with climate models indicating drier than average weather somewhat more likely through the winter.
This report was prepared by the Arizona Drought Monitoring Technical Committee on November 7, 2022. Arizona's short-term drought status map is updated during the first week of each month.
Quarterly Drought Status Update: JULY-SEPTEMBER 2022
Severe (D2) or Moderate (D1) long-term drought conditions covered roughly 50% of the state at the end of Water Year 2022. Only small areas of north-central Coconino, western La Paz, and southern Yuma counties recorded Exceptional (D4) long-term drought. Extreme (D3) long-term drought persisted in La Paz, Yuma, and Mohave counties, large areas of western, northern, and eastern Coconino County, and portions of Maricopa, Navajo, and Apache counties. Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions or locations without any long-term drought included Cochise, Santa Cruz, eastern Pima, northeastern Mohave, and central Yavapai counties, as well as areas along the Mogollon Rim.
Weak La Niña conditions will continue through at least the middle of the winter resulting in slightly better odds of below-normal precipitation across the state.
This report was prepared by the Arizona Drought Monitoring Technical Committee, October 11, 2022. Arizona's long-term drought status map is updated quarterly and the next update in early January, it will reflect the conditions of October, November, and December. The long-term drought status for each watershed is determined by comparing the precipitation and streamflow percentiles for the past 24, 36, 48 and 60 months to a 40-year historical record.