We received 0.12" of rain last night, bringing the year-to-date total to 1.17". Most of this precipitation has come in very small amounts—a few hundredths to a tenth of an inch at a time—and has always been accompanied by wind.

June and early July have been extremely hot, with daytime highs near or above 100°F and consistently low humidity. The desert remains dry and stressed, with almost no greening. Grass and native plants are struggling: creosote and snakeweed are browning, and little leaf sumac shows only sparse leafing.

The two included photos, taken about a month apart (early June and early July), look west from BLM land near our home, across I-25 toward the Magdalena Mountains. They illustrate the ongoing drought conditions of little grass, no greening, and creosote bushes having brownish leaves.

Wildlife behavior reflects the lack of moisture. Coyotes and jackrabbits are increasingly seen near irrigation ditches and other human-provided water sources. We have many nighthawks this year, but very few barn swallows, which are usually present in summer. White-winged doves and Gambel’s quail are abundant around our house and garden, and unprotected leaves have been heavily browsed. Even our irrigated trees look like they are stressed, with smaller and fewer leaves.

Out in the desert, bird sightings are scarce during walks and horseback rides. There are very few mosquitoes this year—good for humans, but possibly bad for insectivores. On the other hand, deer flies (Chrysops sp.) have been unusually aggressive, even in open desert areas.

Conditions are especially difficult for ranchers; it’s likely a challenging year for supporting cattle.