Drought in Colorado, May 1 to 31, 2002

Name: Drought in Colorado, May 1 to 31, 2002
Start: 2002-05-01T00:00
End: 2002-05-31T23:59
Location: Colorado

May 1 to 31, 2002 · NWS GJT · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GJT wrote it up.

May was the first full month of severe to extreme drought conditions in western Colorado. The most intense drought classification, exceptional drought conditions, had developed in the southwest corner of the state by the end of the month. Low elevation snowpack had already melted throughout the area before May, with many seasonal streams dried up by the end of May. In May, the drought began to have a major impact on agricultural interests, and to a lesser degree on the outdoor recreation industry. Perhaps of most importance, the drought created a large potential for major wildfires. The full extent of the financial impact of the drought will be compiled when the drought situation in this area is considered alleviated. See the June 2002 Storm Data publication for a continuation of the drought situation in western Colorado.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Grand Junction, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 30, 1:00 PM MST, 11 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 1:00 PM MST, 11 hours before

WESTERN COLORADO & EASTERN UTAH AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
200 PM MDT TUE APR 30 2002

STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS TONIGHT
AS PACIFIC LOW MOVES ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT BASIN. DECENT THERMAL
GRADIENT FORMS AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM LATE THIS AFTERNOON...THEN
MOVES RAPIDLY ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT BRINGING 7H READINGS ON
THE ORDER OF 4-6 DEGREES CELSIUS LOWER THAN THOSE EXPERIENCED THIS
MORNING. AIRMASS EXTREMELY DRY SO FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH WITHOUT
GENERATING ANY PRECIPITATION. ONLY EXCEPTION IS ACROSS THE EASTERN
UINTAS WHERE LOW POPS APPEARS WARRANTED AS UPPER LOW AND
DEFORMATION AREA CONVERGE. DESPITE CAA OVERNIGHT...TEMPERATURES
UNLIKELY TO BE IMPACTED MUCH AS WINDS KEEP LOWER ATMOSPHERE MIXED.

CANADIAN AIRMASS DROPS SOUTHWARD AND HANGS NORTH OF THE I-70
CORRIDOR ON WEDNESDAY. TIMING SUGGESTS SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
FRONT LIKELY TO SET IN DURING THE AFTERNOON. WILL MENTION SNOW LEVEL
AND ACCUMULATIONS FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...THOUGH NOT EXPECTING
SIGNIFICANT SNOW AMOUNTS. SCATTERED POPS SHOULD SUFFICE FOR LOWER
ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE NORTH WITH LOW CHANCES FOR THE CENTRAL ZONES...
AND CONTINED DRY SOUTH. WINDS SHOULD BE PRETTY STRONG ACROSS THE
SOUTH ONCE AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY...THOUGH TEMPERATURES COOLER THERE...AS
OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE CWFA.

POSITIVELY TILTED TROF HANGS UP OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
PORTION OF THE CWFA WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY BRINGING A
CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS. AIRMASS COLD ENOUGH TO BRING
THE THREAT OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES TO AREAS ALREADY INTO THE
GROWING SEASON. THEREFORE...WILL ISSUE SPS TO DISCUSS AREAS...
UNCERTAINTY...AND FORECAST LOWS. TEMPERATURES REMAIN COOL ON
THURSDAY...THOUGH EXPECT FEWER CLOUDS. FLOW BECOMES MORE ZONAL
THURSDAY NIGHT AS TROF FLATTENS IN RESPONSE TO NEXT TROF MOVING INTO
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. NL

FRIDAY-TUESDAY:  MIDRANGE MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH
GOOD RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY. PATTERN TAKES ON A MORE ZONAL
NATURE ON FRI WITH AN APPENDAGE HANGING OVER THE SOUTHWEST.  THIS
LOOP GETS ABSORBED IN THE FLOW AND MOVES EAST DURING THE
WEEKEND. MODELS INDICATE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION SAT AS
A RESULT. WILL NOT CHANGE THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME EXCEPT
TO ADD A SLIGHT CHANCE TO THE MOUNTAINS ON SAT.  THEN A STRONG LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES DOWN FROM WESTERN CANADA WITH DEEP CUT OFF
CENTERED OVER VANCOUVER ISLAND B.C. BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SOUTHWEST
FLOW IS THE RESULT FOR OUR AREA. MODELS ARE SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR WITH
THIS SOLUTION. BY TUE THE MRF OPENS UP THE LOW AS IT MOVES EAST WITH
SOUTHWEST FLOW INCREASING.  TUE STILL TOO EARLY FOR ANY
PRECIPITATION FOR US WITH THIS SYSTEM.  HEFFERNAN

.GJT...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 1000 PM MDT FOR ALL FIRE WEATHER ZONES
EXCEPT UTAH FIRE ZONE 443.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Animas River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Animas River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Central Colorado River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Central Colorado River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 38.737, -107.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Central Yampa River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Central Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Debeque to Silt Corridor

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Elkhead and Park Mountains

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Flattop Mountains

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Flattop Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 40.062, -107.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Grand Valley

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Grand Valley forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lower Yampa River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Lower Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 40.066, -108.109 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 38.294, -108.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, San Juan River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: San Juan River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 37.194, -107.048 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Upper Gunnison River Valley

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Upper Gunnison River Valley forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Upper Yampa River Basin

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains

When: May 1, 12:00 AM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where: West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates: 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, May 2002

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5303281, 5303282, 5303283, 5303284, 5303285, 5303286, 5303287, 5303288, 5303289, 5303290, 5303291, 5303383, 5303384, 5303385, 5303386, 5303387, 5303388, 5303389, 5303390, 5303391, 5303392.