After a week that showed a drought conditions dramatically degradeacross Colorado, a small area showed slight improvement in the central part of the state.

Southern Jefferson County, along with slivers of Park and Douglas counties, moved into abnormally dry conditions, an improvement from moderate drought.

The remainder of Colorado was unchanged from the prior week, in which a new area of exceptional drought – the worst category – appeared over all of Otero County, along with parts of Las Animas, Huerfano, Pueblo, Crowley, Kiowa and Bent counties. The northwest part of the state also saw increases in extreme and severe drought. Moderate drought expanded toward the north central part of the state.

Overall, 18 percent of the state is drought-free. Six percent of the state is abnormally dry, up from five percent over the previous week due to rounding. Moderate drought covers 16 percent of Colorado, while severe drought impacts 21 percent. Twenty-seven percent of the state is in extreme drought, while 13 percent is experiencing exceptional drought.

One year ago, 64 percent of Colorado was drought-free, while 36 percent was abnormally dry.

Drought categories include (ranked from least to most severe) abnormally dry, moderate, severe, extreme and exceptional drought.