THE NOAA NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER REPORTS THAT THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF 2011 HAD BEEN THE DRIEST START TO ANY YEAR ON RECORD FOR NEW MEXICO. THROUGH JULY OF 2011…STATEWIDE PRECIPITATION WAS ONLY 42 PERCENT OF NORMAL.
AS OF EARLY AUGUST 2011…47 PERCENT OF NEW MEXICO WAS IN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT…THE WORST DROUGHT CATEGORY POSSIBLE. EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT IS ESSENTIALLY A 50 YEAR RECURRENCE EVENT. ABOUT 93 PERCENT OF NEW MEXICO WAS IN SEVERE TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT AS SPOTTY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD YET TO RESULT IN WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS.