The trend of easing drought has continued for a fourth week in a row in Colorado and while 96 percent of the state remains in drought, there’s been some relief in parts of the state where the worst drought has been present.

According to the May 21 U.S. Drought Monitor Report, Colorado’s Drought Severity and Coverage Index (DSCI) score was 328 on May 19, down from the 340 it was at the week prior and the 367 it was at on April 21. It’s still at a level that – aside from recent weeks – hasn’t been present in the state since March of 2021, but the drought situation does seem to be trending in the right direction with additional widespread moisture on the way.

The most significant week-over-week shift in terms of drought was probably seen in the acreage of land measured at ‘drought stage four’ – the most severe of four tiers. Drought at this level peaked in April 21 data, accounting for 21.91 percent of the state. This dropped to 14.8 percent of the state last week and is now at 9.51 percent of the state. The portion of the state falling into this tier of drought is still located in the heart of Colorado’s ski country, but several counties in this northwest quadrant of the state have experienced a significant shift for the better.

At the statewide level, Colorado’s snowpack is at about 17 percent of the norm for the date. While this is above record-lows, it’s still on par with what’s normal for the second week of June. All USDA projections indicate that snowpack should be pretty much gone on Colorado’s peaks by June 5 – the norm is around June 20.

According to the National Weather Service, wetter-than-normal conditions are expected to be present in Colorado through at least June 12, accompanied by warmer-than-normal temps.

Explore more drought data here.

STAY INFORMED: Get free Colorado news with our daily newsletter (Click here)