After a year in Colorado with abundant rains, abnormally dry conditions have been creeping across southeast Colorado over the past several weeks, according to The Denver Post. Last July, Colorado was nearly devoid of any dehydration. At that time, the US Drought Monitor reported drought and abnormal dryness had been eliminated from southeastern Colorado after years of dry conditions. But a monitor report released this month showed most all of El Paso County and all of Pueblo County enveloped by pre-drought conditions.
Hot temperatures and strong winds have dried out the soil and sent crops downhill fast. Range fires have also been an issue in Southeast Colorado as the land dries up.
More than 25 percent of the state, including eastern Washington County and extreme northwest Colorado, are now listed as being abnormally dry.