Over 90% of Utah in drought status, conditions likely to worsen

SALT LAKE CITY — According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 91% of Utah is in drought, and the remaining 9% is classified as abnormally dry. Over 42% of the state is experiencing “D2” or severe drought — up from 0% one year ago. It’s the first time since December 2022 that 100% of Utah has been in either drought or abnormally dry conditions.

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“Over the last three weeks, it’s been very dry statewide,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Alex DeSmet. DeSmet said a big reason Utah’s drought conditions have expanded and worsened over the past month is that northern Utah got much less rain than usual. Salt Lake City averages five days of measurable rain in the month of June, but DeSmet said last month, there was only one day. Additionally, DeSmet said the area north of the I-80 corridor only registered about 10 to 30% of its usual precipitation over the last three months.

Summer drought outlook

It’s hard to know what will happen ahead of time, but DeSmet said he believes drought conditions continue to gradually worsen as the summer progresses. He said short-term improvement is possible if the state receives above average rainfall and or a strong monsoon season. But even then, he said it would only do so much. “If we have weeks upon weeks and months upon months of above normal rainfall, that will improve the drought,” DeSmet said. “But, periods of scattered thunderstorms are not likely to give us much reprieve.” DeSmet said long-term relief will have to come in the form of snow this coming winter. In December 2022, 99% of the Beehive State was in drought, with 89% in severe drought or worse. Thanks to that year’s record-breaking winter, less than 10% of the state was in drought by the following July. Now, water managers are not only hoping for another strong winter—they’re also urging Utahns to keep conserving water in case Mother Nature doesn’t come through. “Conservation is the key,” DeSmet said.

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