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DENVER — Thirty percent of Colorado is now in a moderate drought, an increase of 6 percent in the past week.

The latest Drought Monitor map for Colorado shows moderate drought across most of the Front Range expanding into southern and southeastern Colorado.

Three months ago, the area in a m20161108_co_trdoderate drought was close to zero.  Local fire bans remain in place across the Front Range.

The lack of rain and snow is driving the drought.  Denver 3.05 inches of precipitation below normal.  That’s significant for Denver.

The lack of snowfall is a contributing factor with zero inches of snow recorded at Denver International Airport this season.

The first half of November is following suit.  Mountain snowfall is currently running at 13 percent of normal.

It looks like the latest first snowfall on record in Denver, which occurred on Nov. 21, 1934, could fall this year.