Colorado, 2002

Drought in Colorado, October 1 to 31, 2002

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

The month began with extreme to exceptional drought conditions across western Colorado. However, several storm systems crossed the region during the month and produced sufficient precipitation and lower temperatures to result in a slight alleviation of the drought conditions by the end of the month.

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.

The month began with extreme to exceptional drought conditions across western Colorado. However, several storm systems crossed the region during the month and produced sufficient precipitation and lower temperatures to result in a slight alleviation of the drought conditions by the end of the month. See the November 2002 Storm Data publication for a continuation of this drought chronicle for 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 Sep 30, 1:20 PM MST, 10 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 1:20 PM MST, 10 hours 40 minutes before
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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, Grand and Battlement Mesas

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

Drought, Grand Valley

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

Drought, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

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

Drought, Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin

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

Drought, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

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

Drought, San Juan River Basin

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

Drought, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

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

Drought, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

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

Drought, Upper Gunnison River Valley

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

Drought, Upper Yampa River Basin

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

Drought, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains

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

Drought, Lower Yampa River Basin

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

Drought, Animas River Basin

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

Drought, Central Colorado River Basin

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

Drought, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin

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

Drought, Central Yampa River Basin

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

Drought, Debeque to Silt Corridor

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

Drought, Elkhead and Park Mountains

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

Drought, Flattop Mountains

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

Drought, Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin

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

Drought, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys

When
October 1, 12:00 AM MST to October 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
39.481, -107.172 (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

More

Every storm in Colorado in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5318548, 5318549, 5318550, 5318551, 5318552, 5318553, 5318554, 5318555, 5318556, 5318557, 5318558, 5319237, 5319238, 5319239, 5319240, 5319241, 5319242, 5319243, 5319244, 5319245, 5319295.