COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Recent spring storms have brought some relief to Colorado's ongoing drought, but rapidly warming temperatures and an incoming heat dome could quickly undo those gains.
Snow events in May tend to produce very heavy, high water content, dense snow, and that is exactly what this week's storm system delivered. The system also came on top of significant moisture across parts of Colorado last week.
So far in May, Colorado Springs has picked up a little less than three-tenths of an inch of rain — below average for the month. Pueblo has recorded about four-tenths of an inch, largely driven by this week's storm system, which is above average.
Last week, the entire state of Colorado had progressed into at least moderate drought, with almost 60% of the state in severe to exceptional drought.
The drought monitor measures a period from Wednesday to the following Tuesday, with updates released each Thursday. This week's storm system is not included in the latest update, but last week's rain and snow is.
The latest update shows meaningful improvement across the region. In El Paso County, the area in moderate drought dropped from 100% of the county to about 24%. In Pueblo County, that figure fell from 100% to around 60% in moderate or worse drought, though the city of Pueblo itself remains in moderate drought.
Despite the welcome moisture, those improvements are not likely to last. The combination of a high May sun angle and quickly warming temperatures means the temporarily increased snowpack will melt rapidly. A heat dome will build across the West heading through the weekend and into next week, pushing highs into the mid-80s to 90s across the plains — about 15 degrees above average. The one-two punch of gusty winds and heat will quickly dry out new spring growth and elevate fire threats.
While the storms last week and this week brought needed moisture, the ongoing heat ahead means Colorado's water situation remains a concern. This is a good weekend to clear brush and debris from around your home as grass fire risk begins to increase.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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