Widespread severe to extreme drought conditions at the end of September 2018 improved slightly through October 2018 due to several rounds of showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall. Severe drought conditions improved to 44 percent of the state, of which around 22 percent was deemed extreme drought or worse. Exceptional drought improved very little to around 15 percent of New Mexico. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms occurred throughout the month, especially around the higher terrain of central New Mexico, the Rio Grande Valley, and eastern New Mexico. Widespread rainfall amounts of one to three inches occurred across central and eastern New Mexico with less than one inch across the west. The Four Corners region remained mostly dry during October 2018 with no improvement to exceptional drought conditions. An early season snowfall event impacted the northern mountains with around 3 to 6 inches of snow on the 15th. A more significant winter weather event occurred on the 31st when 12 to 17 inches of snow fell over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Lighter snowfall amounts were reported across much of the surrounding area of the northern mountains and northeastern New Mexico.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018 for areas around Gallup.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September continued for the northern part of the area through October 2018. Extreme drought conditions for the southern part of the area improved to severe drought in October.

Drought in CURRY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme to severe drought conditions from September improved to moderate drought for far western Curry County in October 2018. Eastern Curry County was abnormally dry, and the far eastern portion of the county improved to no drought in October.

Drought in QUAY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September improved to severe through October 2018 for far western Quay County. The eastern portion of the county improved to no drought in October.

Drought in UNION COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018 for western Union County. The far eastern portion of the county improved to drought in October.

Drought in NORTHWEST PLATEAU, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in CHUSKA MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018. The far eastern portion of the area was abnormally dry in October.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September improved to severe in October 2018.

Drought in SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in JEMEZ MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September continued through October 2018. The far southern part of the area improved to severe drought in October.

Drought in NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in WEST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional to extreme drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September improved to moderate drought through October 2018. The southern part of the area was abnormally dry in October.

Drought in ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September improved to moderate drought through October 2018. The southern part of the area was abnormally dry in October.

Drought in RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018. The southern part of the area improved to moderate drought in October.

Drought in CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018. Southern Torrance County improved to moderate drought in October.

Drought in ESTANCIA VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018. The southern portion of the area improved to moderate drought in October.

Drought in HARDING COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued to improve to moderate drought for most of western Harding County in October 2018. Eastern Harding County improved to abnormally dry, and far eastern parts of the county improved to no drought in October.

Drought in EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September improved to moderate drought in October 2018.

Drought in GUADALUPE COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September improved to severe drought in October 2018. Severe drought conditions in southern Guadalupe County improved to moderate drought in October.

Drought in ROOSEVELT COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September continued to improve to severe drought for far western parts of the county through October 2018. Other parts of western Roosevelt County improved to moderate drought, and eastern Roosevelt County improved to no drought conditions.

Drought in SANTA FE METRO AREA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in DE BACA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September improved to severe drought in October 2018. Parts of western De Baca County improved to moderate drought.

Drought in CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from September improved to severe drought for parts of the area in October 2018. Parts of western Chaves County and the southeast corner improved to moderate drought.

Drought in EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September improved to moderate drought for much of the area through October 2018.

Drought in SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.

Drought in SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-OCT-18 00:00:00 to 31-OCT-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from September continued through October 2018.