New 3-month outlook is not good for Colorado drought

Every month the NOAA's Climate Prediction Center issues its long term forecast for the next three months and Thursday was the day. The forecast includes a 30-day outlook for precipitation and temperature and a 90-day outlook for the same.

The 30 day precipitation outlook for the month of September has the entire state at or near normal for the period. September is typically one of the driest months of the year. So a normal September would have very limited rain or snow.

The 30 day Temperature outlook has September above normal across the board. Especially, hot temperatures are expected over the Four Corners and Southwest Colorado. 

That is not good for the drought situation in that part of the state where they are in dry to moderate drought again.

Switching to the 90-day charts which extend into the months of September, October and November, not much changes. The Precipitation profile stays in the normal or average category statewide. Typically, September and October are often the driest months so that would mean a dry Fall. November begins to bring moisture in with snowfall. So an average November would bring in fairly decent amounts of moisture. And since we are in an El Nino year there ought to be some good snows at least in the second half of November.

Temperature-wise in September, October and November most of Colorado is outlooked to be slight warmer than normal for the 90-days. This may hurt areas of Southwestern Colorado the most as they have already had an extremely hot and dry summer.