A wet May has significantly improved drought conditions across the Pikes Peak region and most of Colorado after a drier start to 2023.

Nine days ago, more than half of El Paso County was in severe drought, and the other half was in moderate drought. Now, most of the county is considered abnormally dry, with just 19% on the county’s west side in moderate drought and none in severe drought, according to a report released by the U.S. Drought Monitor Thursday.

The past week has brought at least 4.31 inches of rain to the Colorado Springs area, surpassing the monthly average of 1.01 inches for May, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo. Colorado Springs received 0.48 inch more rain Thursday.

Similar drought trends have been reported statewide since the upper-level, low-pressure system rolled in last week from New Mexico bringing heavy rain, snow, hail and thunderstorms to Colorado.

Areas with no drought in the state are at 89%, up from 70% nine days ago, according to the Drought Monitor. Around 35% of the state is considered abnormally dry, with under half with drought or abnormally dry conditions.

The first three months of 2023 maxed less than half an inch of precipitation each with March seeing just 0.08 inches, making it one of the driest Marches in history for Colorado Springs, according to the Weather Service.

Meteorologist and weather forecaster Evan Direnzo with the National Weather Service in Boulder said the transition from Colorado’s drier months into wetter ones comes down to moisture meeting the right conditions.

The latest weather is unrelated to the state’s monsoon season, which is generally in July and August, according to Direnzo. While the event last week was “rare,” a rainy summer is expected.

“People have forgotten that severe weather every day over the summer in Colorado is the norm,” said Direnzo, who noted that recent summers in the state have been dry and fire prone.

The Gazette’s Abbey Soukup contributed to this report.