For the first time in nearly two years, Crook County’s drought status has been reduced from “Exceptional” to “Extreme.” That’s according to an analysis of the U.S. Drought Monitor from KOIN in Portland.
The drop is the equivalent of going from a level four to a level three on the drought scale.
This is also the first time since March 2021 that that state of Oregon does not have any place on the Drought Monitor map listed as “exceptional.”
- Lots of snow in them there hills, but still not enough to break the drought
- Despite above average snow, Kotek declares drought emergency for Deschutes Co.
- Kotek declares Jefferson, Crook County drought emergencies
According to the Drought Monitor weekly summary, “widespread improvements were made on the map including areas of California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico in response to excellent snowpack conditions across many of the drainage basins in the region.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the region that includes Central Oregon has a current snow water equivalent at 167% of normal.
