An exceptionally dry and windy spring season for northern and central New Mexico continued during the month of May which saw significantly worsening drought conditions. A storm track that had remained northerly all spring season continued during May, but the month did see return flow across the eastern plains begin to pull low-level Gulf moisture into the area. This allowed for dryline thunderstorms to impact eastern New Mexico on several days which did bring beneficial moisture. Despite this, precipitation deficits only grew. About 97 percent of New Mexico was now in at least severe drought with about 90 percent in at least extreme drought. Of this, 46 percent of the state was in exceptional drought which was a significant increase from the 16 percent at the end of April. The eastern plains saw the most significant drought expansion with nearly all of the eastern plains in the exceptional drought category. Precipitation totals across eastern New Mexico were spotty, but some locations did receive 1 to 2 inches of rainfall. Across central and western New Mexico, rain totals were well below half an inch. The Albuquerque area received only a trace of rain which made for 62 consecutive days without measurable precipitation.

Drought in TUSAS MOUNTAINS INCLUDING CHAMA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with extreme drought conditions areawide.

Drought in UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with extreme drought conditions areawide.

Drought in EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in JEMEZ MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in ESPANOLA VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in GUADALUPE COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in GLORIETA MESA INCLUDING GLORIETA PASS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in SANTA FE METRO AREA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in DE BACA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with exceptional drought conditions across most of the Chaves County Plains.

Drought in SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS INCLUDING EDGEWOOD, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in ESTANCIA VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with extreme to exceptional drought conditions across the area.

Drought in SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in CHUSKA MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with exceptional drought conditions across the southern half of the middle Rio Grande Valley.

Drought in EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with exceptional drought conditions across far eastern Lincoln County.

Drought in SAN AGUSTIN PLAINS AND ADJACENT LOWLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in UNION COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with exceptional drought conditions across most of Union County.

Drought in CURRY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in ROOSEVELT COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread extreme drought conditions.

Drought in SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread extreme drought conditions.

Drought in NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread extreme drought conditions.

Drought in LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe to extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in HARDING COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread excpetional drought conditions.

Drought in JOHNSON AND BARTLETT MESAS INCLUDING RATON PASS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in QUAY COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread exceptional drought conditions.

Drought in EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread excpetional drought conditions.

Drought in UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with widespread extreme drought conditions.

Drought in NORTHWEST PLATEAU, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with extreme drought conditions across the eastern half of the area.

Drought in NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Extreme drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.

Drought in FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Severe drought conditions from April 2022 worsened in May with extreme drought conditions areawide.

Drought in FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS, NEW MEXICO
From 01-MAY-22 00:00:00 to 31-MAY-22 23:59:00 (MST-7)
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Exceptional drought conditions from April 2022 continued in May.