GRAND JUNCTION – Last month was among the driest Aprils on record in much of western and southern Colorado, increasing local drought conditions and fire danger.
Grand Junction received 0.20 inches of precipitation last month compared to the 0.91 inches it normally receives, The Daily Sentinel reported.
“April is normally one of our wettest months,” said Dan Cuevas, a technician for the National Weather Service. But last month tied with other Aprils with light rainfall.
Other data showed Montrose, Mineral County, Mesa County and surrounding areas also had record-low precipitation, some already in moderate drought, said Becky Bolinger, assistant state climatologist.
Mesa Verde National Park received no precipitation, tying a record set in 1989, Bolinger said.
A weekly assessment released by climate experts at Colorado State University agreed with the findings. Snowpack in Colorado also started to melt, indicating a subsequently dry and warm month.
“With little snow in April and a quick warm-up, the snowpack is melting quickly,” the assessment said.
Bolinger said the Gunnison Basin as a whole had an average of 14 inches of snowpack less than two weeks ago, but that is now down to 7 inches, a level that normally wouldn’t be seen until late May.
Dry vegetation, low relative humidity and breezy to windy conditions are also sparking fire concerns, Cuevas said, adding that the National Weather Service issued red-flag fire warnings in several western regions on Wednesday.
Campfires and charcoal fires are currently prohibited on national forests statewide amid concerns about potentially having to divert resources from responding to the coronavirus pandemic, experts said.
