A warm and unusually dry month was noted across much of north and central New Mexico. Although some of the ski areas located in the high elevations of the northern mountains recorded regular light to moderate snow amounts during the month, many of the lower valleys, the central highlands and the eastern plains went several weeks between episodes of light precipitation. Conditions were especially warm and dry throughout the middle Rio Grande Valley and the adjacent western higher plateau regions. Albuquerque Airport at 7.8 degrees above normal had its warmest January since official records began 1893, while precipitation for the month was limited to just a trace. Conditions only aggravated concerns for an early and intense forest fire season and threats of irrigation cuts later in the spring and early summer.

Drought in GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CHAVES COUNTY / X SW CHAVES, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in WESTCENTRAL MOUNTAINS / MCKINLEY EXCEPT NC AND NE / CIBOLA EXCEPT X E / N CATRON / X SW SANDUVAL / X NW BERNALILLO / X NW SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY / X SC SANDUVAL / VALENCIA EXCEPT X E / X E CIBOLA / BERNALILLO EXCEPT E AND X NW, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS / MOST OF W SANTA FE / E BERNALILLO / X SE SANDUVAL / X W TORRANCE / E VALENCIA / PART OF E SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ / RIO ARRIBA EXCEPT X SE / SANDUVAL EXCEPT SE AND X SW / LOS ALAMOS / NE MCKINLEY / SE SAN JUAN / X NW SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in DE BACA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS / UNION EXCEPT X NW / X SE COLFAX, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS / CHAVES EXCEPT X SW, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS / ALL BUT X W AND X SE COLFAX / ALL BUT X W MORA / C SAN MIGUEL / X NW UNION, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in CONCHAS LAKE/GUADALUPE / E SAN MIGUEL / GUADALUPE, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in CURRY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH PLAINS/HONDO VALLEY / LINCOLN EXCEPT SC, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY / PART OF C AND E SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS / TAOS / X W MORA / X SE RIO ARRIBA / NE SANTA FE / X W COLFAX / X NW SAN MIGUEL, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/UPPER GILA REGION / CATRON EXCEPT N / PART OF W SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY / NW SANTA FE / PART OF SE RIO ARRIBA / PART OF SE SANDUVAL, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in HARDING, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in NORTHWEST PLATEAU / SAN JUAN EXCEPT X SW AND SE / NC MCKINLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in CAPITAN/NORTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS / SC LINCOLN, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS/ESTANCIA VALLEY COUNTY / SE SANTA FE / W SAN MIGUEL / TORRANCE EXCEPT X W / E SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in QUAY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Drought in ROOSEVELT, NEW MEXICO
From 01-JAN-03 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-03 23:59:00 (MST)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.