Latest drought map show positive outlook for Nevada’s drought conditions

BOULDER CITY, Nev. (KTNV) — Each Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor releases a drought map. For Nevada, the most recent map reveals a stark distinction from simply seven months in the past. The present drought situations measure at 22.93 %.

“For the beginning of the water 12 months, 100% of the state was in drought,” mentioned Desert Analysis Institute climatologist David Simeral. “So large enchancment that is occurred this winter.”

Simeral is one among 12 authors of the U.S. Drought Monitor, and the one one from the west.

He mentioned there are lots of facets to contemplate when drafting a map.

DROUGHT CRISIS

“Some people saying, , perhaps simply precipitation, they’re going to have a look at issues within the shorter time period, however we’re having a look at all kinds of various indicators,” mentioned Simeral. “From precipitation, temperature, stream flows, soil moisture, the vegetation well being. It helps me to color an image with extra confidence as to what’s occurring.“

Usually talking, Simeral mentioned Nevada has been in an extended interval of drought.

“It has been a drying pattern that is been occurring from 12 months to 12 months,” mentioned Simeral. “We had a long run drought that occurred again within the early 2010’s and it lasted about 5 years, and we have intermittently gone out and in of drought since then.”

Simeral mentioned the final three years adopted a La Nina cycle, which suggests the climate patterns are typically drier alongside the southwestern area. However this previous winter was irregular.

“This 12 months’s La Nina occasion, which as , tends to be drier within the southern tier of the western U.S. and it just about did the other,” mentioned Simeral. “And it ended up, , for a lot of components of the southern tier of the area was very moist. I imply, there was some document snowfall in areas.”

Subsequent season, we’re anticipated to go into El Nino cycle, which is sweet information for our area, in keeping with Simeral. However like what we noticed this 12 months, the climate patterns could possibly be sudden.

POWER OF WATER: Drought impacts and options in Southern Nevada and past

“The southwest tends to be wetter in the course of the winters,” mentioned Simeral. “We will have a look at what the long run patterns appear like, however that is no assure of how issues are going to going to play out shifting ahead.”

Simeral mentioned the monsoonal season in the summertime may additionally present some drought aid.

“Transferring into the monsoon season, , the advantage of your explicit location as in comparison with different components of the state and Nevada is that you’ve extra properly down in southern Nevada after which alongside the jap a part of Nevada, like east central and a part of the state, they’ve a superb affect,” mentioned Simeral. “There’s potential for enchancment in Clark County in the course of the summer time months. However as , monsoon could be slightly spotty when it comes to the thunderstorms that you simply get.”

When it comes to getting Lake Mead ranges to return to regular, Simeral mentioned we are going to want 4 to 5 consecutive years of above common precipitation.

“When it comes to each Lake Mead and Lake Powell on the Colorado River system, the present standing when it comes to their reservoir ranges is certainly a long run state of affairs to we’re a number of many years the place the lake has drawn down,” mentioned Simeral. “Regardless of the actually nice 12 months we have had within the higher Colorado River basin, it’ll take a number of years.”