Numerous winter disturbances moved across western Colorado during the month of January which led to wetter than normal conditions and cooler temperatures. As a result, the state of the drought improved across much of the region, most notably in the Four Corners which finally began to break out of the exceptional (D4) drought conditions.

Drought in LOWER YAMPA RIVER BASIN, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The sliver of extreme (D3) drought conditions along the west-central border of the zone improved two categories to moderate (D1) conditions. The severe (D2) drought across the rest of the area also improved to the moderate category by the end of the month.

Drought in GRAND VALLEY, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The sliver of extreme (D3) drought conditions along the southeast border of the zone improved to severe (D2) conditions. The severe drought across the rest of the area improved to the moderate (D1) category by the end of the month.

Drought in GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The extreme (D3) drought conditions across the central portion of the zone improved to severe (D2) conditions while the southeast remained in the extreme category.

Drought in GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe (D2) drought conditions continued across the majority of the forecast area through the end of the month. However, a sliver of extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted along the southern border, though it was trimmed back slightly further west.

Drought in CENTRAL GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER BASIN, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The extreme (D3) drought conditions across the northwest portion of the zone improved to severe (D2) conditions by the end of the month. The rest of the zone ended the month under the extreme category after the far southern portion improved from the exceptional category (D4) to extreme.

Drought in WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The small sliver of exceptional (D4) drought conditions over the far southwest portion of the zone improved to extreme (D3) conditions. The extreme drought continued across the rest of the forecast area, though it was trimmed back slightly over the far northwest by the end of the month.

Drought in UPPER GUNNISON RIVER VALLEY, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

January ended with extreme (D3) drought conditions across the entirety of the zone after the area of exceptional (D4) conditions over the western portion of the zone improved one category.

Drought in UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU AND DALLAS DIVIDE, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme (D3) drought conditions across the central portion of the forecast zone improved to the severe (D2) category by the end of the month. Additionally, the exceptional (D4) drought conditions over the southeast improved to the extreme category.

Drought in NORTHWESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The large area of exceptional (D4) drought conditions was significantly trimmed back to include only the southwest portion of the zone by the end of the month. Elsewhere, January ended in the extreme (D3) category.

Drought in SOUTHWESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The outer perimeter of the widespread exceptional (D4) drought conditions improved to the extreme (D3) drought category by the end of the month.

Drought in PARADOX VALLEY / LOWER DOLORES RIVER BASIN, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The extreme (D3) drought conditions across the central and west-central portions of the zone improved to the severe (D2) category by the end of the month. Additionally, the exceptional (D4) conditions across the east and southeast portions of the zone improved to the severe category.

Drought in FOUR CORNERS / UPPER DOLORES RIVER BASIN, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The widespread exceptional (D4) drought conditions improved one category to extreme (D3) drought by the end of the month.

Drought in ANIMAS RIVER BASIN, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

The exceptional (D4) drought conditions across all but the far northern tip of the zone improved one category to extreme (D3) drought by the end of the month.

Drought in SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN, COLORADO
From 01-JAN-19 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-19 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted across the central and eastern portions of the zone through the end of the month but improved to the extreme (D3) category across the west.