Dreaming of a Disappearing Drought in 2019

The one common thread above all common threads gardeners share is reliance on precipitation - especially during the outdoor growing season. We prefer the kind from nature. Often she doesn't hear our pleas so irrigation systems, hoses and rain barrels keep the lettuce, petunias and tomatoes happy. 

Frosty, but Empty Rain Gauge

Outdoor winter watering which is mostly ignored or possibly not explained properly is often a must along the Front Range, this year more than ever. Check out my recent blog on how and when to water - Dry, Dry December.

What lies ahead in the New Year? Your guess is as good as mine.

The month of December in the Denver area should be cold and snowy (emphasis on should). On average we receive 0.59 inches of moisture. Keep in mind that one inch of water results from ten inches of snow - that is if the temperature is around freezing when it's snowing. Wetter snows can net more inches of water while colder temperatures net less. This year's December is setting up to be one of the driest in our history.
 
Historically, the driest Denver December happened back in 1881 when 0.00 precipitation (measured in inches) was recorded. The recorder's job that month was easy. We've had other dry Decembers too with 0.01 measured in 1895, 1906 and 0.03 in 1931 and 1977. This century, December 2004 has been the driest with 0.04. So far this month (as of 12-29-18) we've had a trace of moisture recorded. For the total year we're at 8.50 inches when the norm is around 14.27 inches. 

All we can say at this point is bring on the snow ... Pleeeeeeeese!!!

NOTE - the official snowfall moisture from the 12-31-18 storm was 0.03, at our house we received 0.2 inches of moisture.
 
  
All internet photos below from NOAA.