Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado
Colorado: Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -9.67 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
In 2025, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado stood at -9.67 Percentage change.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.7% on the previous year and down 48.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado peaked at 12.36 Percentage change in 1984 and was at its lowest, -18.43 Percentage change, in 2002.
Colorado ranks 56th of 72 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -15.96 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -8.89 Percentage change | -44.3% |
| 1952 | -7.01 Percentage change | -21.2% |
| 1953 | -7.34 Percentage change | +4.7% |
| 1954 | -12.72 Percentage change | +73.3% |
| 1955 | -12.23 Percentage change | -3.8% |
| 1956 | -10.42 Percentage change | -14.8% |
| 1957 | 5.06 Percentage change | -148.6% |
| 1958 | -4.32 Percentage change | -185.4% |
| 1959 | 4.86 Percentage change | -212.4% |
| 1960 | -4.22 Percentage change | -186.9% |
| 1961 | 3.57 Percentage change | -184.4% |
| 1962 | -0.7615 Percentage change | -121.4% |
| 1963 | -8.41 Percentage change | +1004.2% |
| 1964 | -5.95 Percentage change | -29.3% |
| 1965 | 4.31 Percentage change | -172.5% |
| 1966 | -7.14 Percentage change | -265.6% |
| 1967 | -3.21 Percentage change | -55.0% |
| 1968 | -7 Percentage change | +117.8% |
| 1969 | -2.14 Percentage change | -69.4% |
| 1970 | -2.58 Percentage change | +20.2% |
| 1971 | -0.0205 Percentage change | -99.2% |
| 1972 | -3.87 Percentage change | +18768.5% |
| 1973 | 6.82 Percentage change | -276.1% |
| 1974 | -7.23 Percentage change | -206.1% |
| 1975 | -6.78 Percentage change | -6.2% |
| 1976 | -1.35 Percentage change | -80.1% |
| 1977 | -7.64 Percentage change | +465.7% |
| 1978 | -4.06 Percentage change | -46.9% |
| 1979 | 0.433 Percentage change | -110.7% |
| 1980 | 0.9857 Percentage change | +127.7% |
| 1981 | 0.3188 Percentage change | -67.7% |
| 1982 | 11.01 Percentage change | +3353.0% |
| 1983 | 10.66 Percentage change | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 12.36 Percentage change | +16.0% |
| 1985 | 12.01 Percentage change | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 6.84 Percentage change | -43.0% |
| 1987 | 8.96 Percentage change | +31.0% |
| 1988 | 2.06 Percentage change | -77.1% |
| 1989 | -7.68 Percentage change | -473.6% |
| 1990 | 4.11 Percentage change | -153.6% |
| 1991 | -0.2691 Percentage change | -106.5% |
| 1992 | 3.38 Percentage change | -1355.4% |
| 1993 | 3.93 Percentage change | +16.2% |
| 1994 | -2.2 Percentage change | -156.1% |
| 1995 | 8.42 Percentage change | -482.5% |
| 1996 | 0.0459 Percentage change | -99.5% |
| 1997 | 7.52 Percentage change | +16267.0% |
| 1998 | 3.83 Percentage change | -49.1% |
| 1999 | -0.8086 Percentage change | -121.1% |
| 2000 | -3.15 Percentage change | +290.2% |
| 2001 | -10.3 Percentage change | +226.4% |
| 2002 | -18.43 Percentage change | +78.9% |
| 2003 | -10.9 Percentage change | -40.8% |
| 2004 | -1.62 Percentage change | -85.2% |
| 2005 | -1.85 Percentage change | +14.6% |
| 2006 | -7.45 Percentage change | +302.0% |
| 2007 | -5.18 Percentage change | -30.5% |
| 2008 | -15.46 Percentage change | +198.4% |
| 2009 | -2.36 Percentage change | -84.7% |
| 2010 | -7.76 Percentage change | +228.1% |
| 2011 | -9.15 Percentage change | +17.9% |
| 2012 | -16.7 Percentage change | +82.6% |
| 2013 | -9.98 Percentage change | -40.3% |
| 2014 | -4.65 Percentage change | -53.3% |
| 2015 | -6.51 Percentage change | +39.9% |
| 2016 | -7.6 Percentage change | +16.8% |
| 2017 | -1 Percentage change | -86.8% |
| 2018 | -13.11 Percentage change | +1205.9% |
| 2019 | -7.14 Percentage change | -45.5% |
| 2020 | -16.08 Percentage change | +125.3% |
| 2021 | -5.68 Percentage change | -64.7% |
| 2022 | -11.47 Percentage change | +101.7% |
| 2023 | -9.71 Percentage change | -15.3% |
| 2024 | -7.95 Percentage change | -18.1% |
| 2025 | -9.67 Percentage change | +21.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | -18768.5% | -0.0205 Percentage change | -3.87 Percentage change |
| 1997 | +16267.0% | 0.0459 Percentage change | 7.52 Percentage change |
| 1982 | +3353.0% | 0.3188 Percentage change | 11.01 Percentage change |
| 1992 | +1355.4% | -0.2691 Percentage change | 3.38 Percentage change |
| 2018 | -1205.9% | -1 Percentage change | -13.11 Percentage change |
| 1963 | -1004.2% | -0.7615 Percentage change | -8.41 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -6.9 Percentage change | -15.96 Percentage change | 5.06 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | -3.1 Percentage change | -8.41 Percentage change | 4.31 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.63 Percentage change | -7.64 Percentage change | 6.82 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.75 Percentage change | -7.68 Percentage change | 12.36 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.79 Percentage change | -2.2 Percentage change | 8.42 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -7.67 Percentage change | -18.43 Percentage change | -1.62 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -8.36 Percentage change | -16.7 Percentage change | -1 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -10.09 Percentage change | -16.08 Percentage change | -5.68 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colorado
- 53 Samoa 0.3482 Percentage change compare
- 54 Bhutan 0.2782 Percentage change compare
- 55 Myanmar -0.016 Percentage change compare
- 56 Belarus -0.1734 Percentage change compare
- 57 New Zealand -0.2131 Percentage change compare
- 57 Moldova -10.25 Percentage change compare
- 58 Luxembourg -0.2585 Percentage change compare
- 59 Switzerland -0.2925 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Colorado
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.86 Percentage change (2025)
- Exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -12.06 Percentage change (2024)
- Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.07 Percentage change (2024)
- River flooding exposure — Cropland share exposed to river flooding 1.34 Percentage of agricultural land area (2022)
- Land cover and land cover change — Grassland 85,457 Square kilometres (2022)
- Land cover and land cover change — Loss of cropland 1,692 Square kilometres (2022)
- Land cover and land cover change — Gain of artificial surfaces 1,861 Square kilometres (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado?
- Historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Colorado was -9.67 Percentage change in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Colorado?
- The highest recorded value was 12.36 Percentage change in 1984.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Colorado?
- The lowest recorded value was -18.43 Percentage change in 2002.
- How does Colorado rank for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Colorado ranks 56th out of 72 groups with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Colorado?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colorado data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The dataset provides annual anomalies in land and cropland soil moisture content of the top soil layer (0 to 7 cm) compared to the reference period 1981-2010. Exposure indicators to drought have been prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please see the working paper for a more complete description of the methods. The datasets span the period 1981-2024 and is the result of the use of a variety of geospatial data sources, including the ERA5-Land averaged monthly data of volumetric soil moisture and ESA CCI land cover data. Average anomalies have been calculated for both land and cropland exposure to drought. The dataset has a global coverage on a national level; on the sub-national TL2 level (i.e. large subnational regions) results are reported for all OECD countries as well as for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. A number of aggregates are included: Euro area, European Union, Advanced economies, Emerging market economies, G7, G20, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD Asia Oceania, OECD Americas and the LAC region. Data source(s): Copernicus Climate Change Initiative land cover data and Copernicus Climate Data Store monthly soil moisture data based on the ERA5-Land reanalysis dataset. Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org