LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Warm weather helped fieldwork and crop emergence advance last week, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 92 percent of the State is under drought conditions, up 1 percentage point from last week. Fifty-seven percent of the State is experiencing severe to exceptional drought conditions, up 9 percentage points from last week. Extreme drought conditions are affecting 6 percent of the State, up 2 percentage points from the previous week. In northeastern and east central counties, reporters noted that wheat conditions and growth rate vary greatly due to continued winds and lack of moisture.
Counties continued to experience strong winds throughout the week, with the northeastern corner of the state experiencing gusts above 50 miles per hour. Counties in eastern districts saw temperatures more than 10 degrees above average last week. In Southwestern counties, dry weather and winds continue to deteriorate crop conditions.
A county reporter noted that many producers have finished planting spring crops, but some fields have been replanted due to winds blowing seed away. In the San Luis Valley, potato planting progressed quickly, and some barley fields are being replanted due to high winds. County reports noted fields are starting to green up, but the alfalfa crop was setback by a late frost. The southeastern counties continue to experience high winds. Above average temperatures and dry conditions throughout the region continue to worsen crop and pasture conditions.
As of May 8, 2022, snowpack in Colorado was 55 percent measured as percent of median snowfall, down 17 percentage points from the previous week. The Southwest and San Luis Valley were 6 and 2 percent, respectively, both down greatly from the previous week. Stored feed supplies were rated 12 percent very short, 26 percent short, 61 percent adequate, and 1 percent
surplus. Sheep death loss was 79 percent average and 21 percent light. Cattle death loss was 1 percent heavy, 83 percent average, and 16 percent light.
–USDA, NASS
