The University of Arizona

 

Drought Persists Despite Winter Rain, Snow

Desert flowers

Short-term relief can be found in an above-average snowpack in the mountains and an above-average wildflower show in the deserts.


By University Communications
March 3, 2008

A persistent storm track brought as much as twice the normal amount of rain and snow to parts of Arizona during December and January. But it did little to change what is still an even more persistent drought.

In the current edition of the Southwest Climate Outlook, researchers at the Climate Assessment for the Southwest at The University of Arizona report that northern Arizona and New Mexico saw marked improvement to at least short-tem drought conditions there.

The southern parts of these states recorded less than normal precipitation, though, with above-average temperatures as well.

Forecasters say La Niña conditions in the Pacific Ocean are likely to persist through the remainder of the winter and into early spring. Strong La Niña patterns are usually associated with drier conditions in the Southwest.

The report includes the most recent information on drought conditions and seasonal forecasts for the region, as well as a feature article,"New streamflow forecasts for expert users."

Winter rains also are, happily, a harbinger of spring wildflower displays in the desert. More information about where to go and what to see is available through the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum's Web site.

You can both view the latest Southwest Climate Outlook in HTML or the printer-friendly PDF format.

© 2008 Arizona Board of Regents