La Niña Watch Issued As Dry Conditions Expand Across Colorado

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - Although we know drought is a frequent visitor to Colorado it's still something we don't like to see.

This morning's report from the U.S. Drought Monitor showed abnormally dry conditions have expanded since last week, now including the Front Range Urban Corridor between Castle Rock, Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins.

A pocket of moderate drought can be found on the western slope outside of Grand Junction.

Fall and winter are typically fairly dry in Colorado across the lower elevations while the high mountains count on building a deep snow pack.

The outlook for the snow season ahead is not clear this year because of a potential episode of La Niña, which can sometimes influence global weather patterns.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center issued a La Niña watch on Thursday for the upcoming fall and winter season. Forecasters say there's a 55-60% chance for La Niña conditions to develop in the Northern Hemisphere.

During a La Niña there is a tendency for the main track of the jet stream to stay north of Colorado, which can sometimes mean a below-average snow season.

While this is bad news if you are a snow lover, don't panic, because a lot can change in the days and weeks ahead.

NOAA will have a new La Niña forecast in the middle of October.

Meteorologist Chris Spears travels weekly in the CBS4 Mobile Weather Lab reporting about Colorado's weather and climate. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.