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For First Time In Nearly A Year, Denver And Colorado's Front Range No Longer Have Drought

DENVER (CBS4) - As the wettest year since 1944 continues in the Denver area, the recent moisture has now completely wiped out the drought that has plagued the Front Range since last summer.

The weekly drought monitor released Thursday morning showed about 75% of Colorado still experiencing at least moderate drought and near 30% of the state still experiencing at least exceptional drought. But no part of those drought areas includes the Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins areas for the first time since late June 2020.

Drought Monitor
(source: CBS)

In Denver, total liquid precipitation for 2021 is only about a half inch below what the city received in all of 2020. The city is currently 4 inches above normal with liquid from January 1 to May 13 including melted snow.

Ashton Misc 2
(source: CBS)

A closer view of the Front Range region shows portions of Douglas, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, and Elbert Counties are still considered "abnormally dry" but these are areas are no longer experiencing genuine drought. And with more wet weather expected next week, it's likely even the abnormally dry areas could soon disappear.

Drought Front Range
(source: CBS)

It's a completely different story on Colorado's Western Slope where moisture has been scarce with recent storms after drier than normal conditions over much of the winter. That is why cities such as Grand Junction, Montrose, Durango, Cortez, Glenwood Springs, and Craig all remain under Extreme or Exceptional drought.

Since January 1, Montrose has measured 1.75" of liquid. In that same period, Denver measured about 6.5" more.

CO Liquid This Year
(source: CBS)

And it's about to get even wetter this year for Denver and the Front Range with scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms returning on Friday. Then the chance for late day storms gets even better on Saturday and Sunday followed by more widespread rain early next week.

8
(source: CBS)

Unfortunately, most of the Western Slope will once again miss out on much of the precipitation.

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