Widespread severe drought conditions at the end of March 2018 continued to deteriorate and expand in coverage through April 2018. Severe drought held constant at nearly 80 percent of the state, of which 46 percent was deemed extreme drought or worse. Exceptional drought expanded to nine percent of New Mexico for the first time since July 2014. Precipitation across the state was well below normal and temperatures were above normal as only a couple weak storm systems moved through the southwest United States. Strong winds occurred on many days during April 2018 with critical fire weather conditions on several consecutive days over large portions of the state. Blowing dust was also observed with several of these strong wind events. A couple very high elevation snow events dusted the northern high terrain however snowpack was essentially gone by the end of the month. Very little hydrologic response had been noted at several key runoff points within the Rio Grande Basin. Burn bans continued to expand in coverage over several areas of the state and the occurrence of small wildfires increased throughout the month.

Drought in UNION COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 10, 2018.

Drought in DE BACA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March deteriorated to extreme drought on April 3, 2018.

Drought in NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 17, 2018.

Drought in SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018 for mainly western sections of Catron County.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March deteriorated to extreme drought on April 3, 2018.

Drought in UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in NORTHWEST PLATEAU, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 17, 2018.

Drought in CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March deteriorated to extreme drought on April 10, 2018.

Drought in CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in ESTANCIA VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March deteriorated to extreme drought on April 10, 2018.

Drought in SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in JEMEZ MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 17, 2018.

Drought in CHUSKA MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 24, 2018.

Drought in HARDING COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought for parts of the county on April 17, 2018.

Drought in SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in WEST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April.

Drought in CURRY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April.

Drought in LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 10, 2018.

Drought in SANTA FE METRO AREA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in GUADALUPE COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in ROOSEVELT COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from March deteriorated to extreme drought on April 10, 2018.

Drought in SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April 2018.

Drought in EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 17, 2018.

Drought in QUAY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March continued through April.

Drought in FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-APR-18 00:00:00 to 30-APR-18 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from March deteriorated to exceptional drought on April 17, 2018.