The January 2018 Phoenix weather statistics by themselves aren’t particularly remarkable, but a look at the bigger picture will get your attention. January 2018 was the third warmest ever for Phoenix when you look at the average temperature of 61.2 degrees. Average daily temperature is determined by adding the daily highs and lows and dividing by two. And it was the 34th driest month for the city with just 0.21 inch of rain recorded at Sky Harbor Airport, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix. When you consider that 2017 was the warmest year ever for Phoenix and the city had only 4.96 inches of rain (8.03 is normal), the January 2018 numbers take on additional significance. The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center calls for a 50 percent probability of above-normal temperatures and a 40-percent probability (50 percent in the southeastern corner of the state) of below-normal rain and snowfall for the next three months, so it’s easy to see why there could be cause for concern. Moderate to severe drought across Arizona The most recent map for Arizona from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that the entire state is experiencing…

INDIAHOMA, OK (KSWO) – Most of southwest Oklahoma is now under severe or extreme drought conditions.
"Right now our fire danger is very high, not to the extreme level yet, but we are trending in that direction.
Because of that danger, there are a few new restrictions in place for those visiting the refuge.
"We’ve restricted activities such that open burning and campfires are no longer allowed and we’ll keep those in place for the duration of the burn ban or until we see a significant change in the weather pattern.
Right now, there’s really no such thing as an overabundance of caution, you can’t be too careful," Phillips said.
When you couple the dry grass with the high winds we see in Oklahoma, Phillips said a fire can quickly get out of control, endangering all of the wildlife on the refuge.
"I feel safe in referring to the fire growth potential as explosive,” Phillips said.
We don’t have the luxury of just allowing them to wander out onto neighboring properties.
The vegetation will dry out, it won’t grow as readily which reduces the amount of food for the animals we’re here to protect," Phillips said.
Phillips said so far, they haven’t seen too many fires on the refuge and he hopes it stays that way.

INDIAHOMA, OK (KSWO) – Most of southwest Oklahoma is now under severe or extreme drought conditions. Because of the dry conditions, officials at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge are urging everyone to be extra cautious when spending time out on the refuge. Assistant Fire Management Officer Jeremiah Phillips said the longer the drought goes on, the higher the fire danger is on the refuge. “Right now our fire danger is very high, not to the extreme level yet, but we are trending in that direction. Until we see a significant change in the weather pattern, we’re just going to continue to get worse and worse,” Phillips said. Because of that danger, there are a few new restrictions in place for those visiting the refuge. “We’ve restricted activities such that open burning and campfires are no longer allowed and we’ll keep those in place for the…

Above: Irrigation water runs along the dried-up ditch between the rice farms to provide water for the rice fields in Richvale, Calif., May 1, 2014.
The Category 1 declaration comes a year after water officials declared the region’s drought was over.
According to the Drought Monitor, a "moderate drought" means ongoing dry conditions could cause damage to crops, and a possibility of water shortages could develop.
Warm and dry conditions have dominated the region for the past six months, with the exception of one storm system that moved through in early January.
The weather outlook shows continued dry conditions, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
Drought levels explained: Level 0, “Abnormally Dry:” This is the lightest level, which means the area is either “going into drought: short-term dryness slowing planting, growth of crops or pastures” or getting out of drought, which means some lingering water deficits; and pastures or crops not fully recovered,” according to the National Drought Monitor.
Level 1, “Moderate Drought:” This level of drought involves “some damage to crops, pastures; streams, reservoirs, or wells low, some water shortages developing or imminent; and voluntary water-use restrictions requested,” according to the monitor.
Level 2, “Severe Drought:” This level means that “crop or pasture losses likely; water shortages common; and water restrictions imposed,” the monitor states.
Level 3, “Extreme Drought:” This is the second-highest level of drought, with “major crop/pasture losses” and “widespread water shortages or restrictions.” Level 4, “Exceptional Drought:” This is the most intense level of drought.
At the peak of the drought in October, 86 percent of the state was at the “exceptional” level.

Above: Irrigation water runs along the dried-up ditch between the rice farms to provide water for the rice fields in Richvale, Calif., May 1, 2014. A U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday shows all of San Diego County is now in a moderate drought. The Category 1 declaration comes a year after water officials declared the region’s drought was over. According to the Drought Monitor, a “moderate drought” means ongoing dry conditions could cause damage to crops, and a possibility of water shortages could develop. Warm and dry conditions have dominated the region for the past six months, with the exception of one storm…

FARMINGTON — Drought conditions in San Juan County have worsened over the course of 2018, and short-term forecasts are not predicting any relief from the situation.
While the drought conditions have worsened since the start of the year, officials say it is still too early to tell what that may mean for water and fire conditions for the rest of the year.
Sypher said the city has done what it can to prepare to meet demand if no significant moisture comes to the area in the upcoming months.
(Photo: The Daily Times file photo) One concern is that Farmington relies on surface water from the Animas River, which feeds Farmington Lake.
San Juan County Fire Chief Craig Daugherty said it is too early to predict how severe the fire season could be this year.
However, Daugherty said if the county does not get moisture “we’ll definitely be in a world of hurt” when the fire season gets under way.
Daugherty said the county is already seeing wildland fires.
He also encouraged people to be careful about burning and to call San Juan County Fire Department before burning vegetation.
Daugherty said the lack of snow this year, combined with the abundance of vegetation, has created a situation in which fireplace ashes easily can spark wildfires.
He said people who are disposing of ashes from their fireplace should keep the ashes in metal buckets until they cool or put water in the bucket to cool down the ashes.

FARMINGTON — Drought conditions in San Juan County have worsened over the course of 2018, and short-term forecasts are not predicting any relief from the situation. Different drought indexes place the county in either moderate or severe drought. According to the Palmer index, which Farmington uses to monitor drought, the area is in a moderate drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the county is in a severe drought, and those conditions have become worse over the course of what has been an unseasonably dry and warm winter. While the drought conditions have worsened since the start of the year, officials say it is still too early to tell what that may mean for water and fire conditions for the rest of the year. Farmington Public Works director David Sypher said he is planning to give a presentation to the City Council during its 9 a.m. Feb. 20 work session about the city’s ordinances regarding drought. Sypher said the city has done what it can to prepare to meet demand if no significant moisture comes to the area in the upcoming months. “We’re hopeful that we’ll get a turnaround in the next month or two,” he said. Sypher said Farmington Lake, which stores the drinking water for the city of Farmington, is full, and the stream flow in the Animas River is good. (Photo: The Daily Times file…

After Sunday’s soaking rain, drought conditions took a big hit during Thursday’s United States Drought Monitor update.
Just last week, drought expanded and encroached on every portion of the Midlands.
The National Weather Service observed 2.42 inches in Saluda County’s Ridge Spring area while Newberry County’s Prosperity saw 2.40 inches.
"We saw stats comparable to what we see during lower impact tropical systems."
In late December, a string of rain events briefly improved conditions, but without much rain since then conditions have gone downhill.
The USDM cited low streamflows, drying soils and ‘tanking’ drought indices as the reason for the upgrade across the southeastern United States.
It’s also important to note that this is what is known as recharge season for the state.
The counties were upgraded from normal drought status to incipient, which is known as the first stage of drought.
"Dry conditions lead to an increased risk for brush fires," says SkyWACH Meteorologist Justin Kier.
Plus we’re entering into prime time historically for South Carolina wild fires."

After Sunday’s soaking rain, drought conditions took a big hit during Thursday’s United States Drought Monitor update. The entire area of the northern Midlands covered by the second stage of drought known as moderate drought have been downgraded to the first stage known as abnormally dry. Just last week, drought expanded and encroached on every portion of the Midlands. Some areas in the southern Midlands were not included prior to last Thursday’s update. In the latest USDM outlook, those areas still remain in the first stage of drought. Looking at last Sunday’s precipitation, some areas recorded nearly two and a half inches of rainfall. The National Weather Service observed 2.42 inches in Saluda County’s Ridge Spring area while Newberry County’s Prosperity saw 2.40 inches. Irmo, Elgin, Manning and Blythewood recorded more than two inches of rain. “Sunday’s storm system really dropped some impressive numbers in areas that desperately needed the rain,” says SkyWACH…

California is rapidly plunging back into drought, with severe conditions now existing in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties — home to one-fourth of the state’s population, a national drought monitor said Thursday.
The new figures from national drought monitors came amid growing concern among state officials about another dry winter.
The region is now seeing record-setting heat.
The readings detailed Thursday show the drought has worsened to the severe category in 5 percent of the state.
However, Thursday’s figures were far better than those during the peak of the state’s epic dry spell, when 99.9 percent of California was in some stage of drought, and nearly half in the highest category.
But the drought never really seemed to lift in some Southern California areas, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at University of California, Los Angeles, noted this week.
When it finally rained, the scorched earth turned into mudslides that sent earth, water and boulders roaring through neighborhoods.
In California’s Central Valley, the nation’s richest agricultural producer, government officials had to install water systems during and after the five-year drought for small towns such as East Porterville after household wells ran dry.
"it never ended," she said of the drought in her area.
Electronic sensors showed statewide snow levels at 27 percent of normal.