Southeast Wyoming drought conditions worsened sharply in March after historic warmth and continued dry weather spread stress across the region, according to a new National Weather Service statement. The report says extreme drought or worse now covers most of southeast Wyoming and the Nebraska Panhandle, while mountain snowpack has fallen to record low levels in southeast Wyoming and northern Colorado. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
The update matters because the drought is no longer just a seasonal warning. It is already affecting soil moisture, spring runoff, irrigation outlooks, and fire risk. The National Weather Service says the region is facing a poor spring runoff outlook for spring and summer 2026, raising concerns for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities that depend on both mountain snow and early season moisture. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Drought conditions worsened across most of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska
The statement says drought worsened over the last four weeks across most of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska. Exceptional drought is now present in the central Laramie Range and far southern Carbon County, while extreme drought covers most of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska. Severe drought extends into portions of the northern Nebraska Panhandle as well as Carbon and Albany counties. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
The National Weather Service says there was no drought improvement anywhere in the region during the latest four week period. Some areas of Carbon, Albany, and Laramie counties received near normal precipitation during the last 30 days, but most other areas saw very limited moisture. The full official statement is available here National Weather Service drought statement. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Record low snowpack is changing the water outlook
One of the most serious warnings in the statement involves mountain snowpack. The National Weather Service says snowpack is at a record low across nearly the entire area, including the Little Snake, upper North Platte, and Laramie River basins. Lower and middle elevation snowpack below 9,000 feet has already melted out about six weeks earlier than average. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
High elevation snowpack also peaked at record low values in mid March and began declining much earlier than normal. The report says 30% to 50% of the record low snowpack has already melted, pointing to a very early and near record low spring runoff. For streamflow information tied to the same concerns, readers can also review USGS WaterWatch. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Warm weather and dry soils are raising pressure on agriculture
The statement says March 2026 was exceptionally warm across the entire region, with 30 day temperature anomalies of 8 degrees or more above seasonal averages. That unusual warmth caused plants to emerge from winter dormancy several weeks earlier than average and increased evaporation, putting more stress on already dry soils. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
The agricultural impacts section says soil moisture continued to deteriorate over the last 30 days across the High Plains. Most of the area now has soil moisture values between the 5th and 10th percentiles for early April. The report also warns that poor spring runoff may reduce water available for irrigation, and that short term water deficits for crops are already apparent. For broader English language agriculture coverage, readers can also visit Agroinformacion. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Fire danger is expected to stay above normal in the months ahead
The drought statement says above normal wildland fire potential is expected across the High Plains in April because of warm, dry, and windy conditions combined with ongoing drought. Fire risk is also expected to rise above average in the mountains in June and July as extreme warmth continues to deplete snowpack earlier than usual. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Several municipalities across the area have already put fire restrictions in place, according to the statement. Looking further ahead, the Climate Prediction Center outlook cited in the report favors above average temperatures and leans toward below average precipitation from April through June. The official report was published by the National Weather Service Cheyenne in its Drought Information Statement on April 5, 2026. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}