Springs' driest month since 1924

It's not the heat, as the expression goes, although it's been plenty hot in Colorado Springs lately.

It's the lack of humidity, to put a high-desert twist on the saying.

Colorado Springs was a virtual desert in July, recording the least amount of rain for the month since before the Great Depression - 0.3 inches, tying the record from 1924.

In most parts of the city, rain has been as scarce a sight since early spring as it is in the Sahara. All that's been missing was the camels.

Last year, Colorado Springs had received more than 7 inches of rain by the end of July.

This year, it has had about 3 inches.

Aside from the heat wave - temperatures have been soaring into the mid-90s this week - and the dying lawns, the extreme drought hasn't been much of a hardship for Colorado Springs residents, at least not like the last time the area dried out earlier in the decade.
"While it's hot and dry, the water supply level is very solid," said Steve Berry, spokesman for Colorado Springs Utilities.

Restrictions on lawn watering and washing vehicles, imposed in 2002 during a drought that lasted for years and weren't lifted until it eased in 2006, are not on the horizon, he said.

The deep snowpack from winter months is looking especially fortuitous now, with the mountain runoff keeping the reservoirs filled to fairly high levels, despite the historic arid conditions.

Pikes Peak and Rampart reservoirs were at 79 percent of capacity entering July, which was nearly 10 percent greater than the average during the past three decades at this time of the year.

The city's systemwide capacity stood at 90 percent, a far cry from the 59 percent storage level at the same time in 2002.

Area ranchers aren't so lucky.

With less rain comes less grass for feeding cattle.

Conditions became so dire that six southeastern Colorado counties - Baca, Bent, Kiowa, Phillips, Prowers and Yuma - qualiffed for federal aid for ranchers and farmers.

It's not panic time for ranchers yet, said Terry Fankhauser, executive vice president of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, but rainfall levels are falling short of even 2002-06 levels.

"Most people don't realize the impact cattle has on the state economy," he said. "It's the largest agricultural industry in the state, and right now, there's a rise in ranchers who feel they need to cut their losses."

The governor's office says parts of southeastern Colorado have seen only 19 percent of normal precipitation this year.

Relief could be on the way.

"We're looking to transition to monsoons next week," said Joe Ceru, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo, referring to the moisture flow from the Southwest that produces summer thunderstorms along Colorado's Front Range.

Ceru said a high-pressure ridge did not move as far east as it usually does this time of year, stalled in part by Hurricane Dolly, delaying the onset of the monsoon.

With monsoons, come decreased fire danger.

Christina Randal, Wildland Risk Manager for the Colorado Springs Fire Department, said fire warnings have fluctuated from moderate to very high.

Fire restrictions have been avoided because there hasn't been violent enough winds to warrant the extreme danger caution.

Perhaps the biggest casualty will be people's wallets - heat plus little rain means higher water usage and utility bills.

Utilities has a tiered pricing system that encourages conservation by charging more as more gallons are used.

COLORADO WEATHER

There is a 50-50 chance that August will somewhat redeem July's precipitation shortcomings and produce the month's average 3.48 inches of rain in the Pikes Peak region, said Mike Nosko, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

"It just takes a few storms to create precipitation this time of year," he said.

Temperatures for the month also have equal chances of staying in the average low to mid 80s for the high and low to mid 50s for the low, Nosko said.