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The drought forecast for the next six months doesn't look good in Colorado.

Driving the news: In an alarming new outlook, the National Weather Service says that drought conditions are likely to persist and even expand across the West this spring, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes.

The agency's initial summer forecast predicts above-average temperatures from June through August for all of Colorado, with even greater than normal highs for the southwest half of the state.

The big picture: As of March 15, drought extended across about 61% of the country, the greatest drought extent seen since 2013, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That figure may grow. The official spring outlook released Thursday calls for "prolonged, persistent drought" in the West yet again.

Zoom in: Colorado's snowpack sits at 100% of median levels across most of the state after the latest series of winter storms.

But the precipitation won't fix long-standing problems in the West. For instance, Lake Powell, in Arizona, fell below 3.525 feet this week, putting it at its lowest level since the lake was first filled more than 50 years ago.

What to watch: Drought conditions are likely to worsen this summer in much of the West and the High Plains, as conditions favor warmer and drier temperatures.

This story first appeared in the Axios Denver newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard. Subscribe here.

Drought forecast for Colorado shows troubling signs this spring and summer

The initial summer forecast predicts above-average temperatures from June through August for all of Colorado.

The drought forecast for the next six months doesn&#x27;t look good in Colorado.Driving the news: In an alarming new outlook, the National Weather Service says that drought conditions are likely to persist and even expand across the West this spring, Axios&#x27; Andrew Freedman <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/us-drought-conditions-to-persist-and-expand-c8d17a96-72d7-42fa-81a6-c6e8c58af8bd.html" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/us-drought-conditions-to-persist-and-expand-c8d17a96-72d7-42fa-81a6-c6e8c58af8bd.html" target="_self">writes</a>.

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Axios Denver, anchored by John Frank and Alayna Alvarez, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

Reproduced from Climate Power and Data for Progress; Chart: Axios Visuals

The bipartisan infrastructure plan and many of its individual provisions, enjoy majority of support among likely voters, according to new polling from the advocacy group Climate Power and the left-leaning polling firm Data for Progress, provided first to Axios. 

Why it matters: The bill, which contains billions for modernizing the electrical grid, making communities more resilient to climate disasters and boosting electric vehicles, needs at least 10 Republican votes to pass in the Senate. 

Context: The poll of 1,194 likely voters, which was conducted on July 29-30, found rising levels of concern among likely voters of both parties regarding extreme weather events, when compared to a June survey. 

This likely reflects the disasters seen so far this summer, from heat waves to floods and wildfires, which scientists tie in large part to human-caused climate change. 

The poll also found increased levels of concern that future generations will be more affected by extreme weather events compared to today. 

Details: The poll found that 71% of likely voters, including a majority of likely Republican voters, support the bipartisan infrastructure framework. 

The pollsters also asked participants how important it is for lawmakers to make additional investments to combat climate change and transition to clean energy, in addition to what is contained in the bipartisan agreement. 

This question, which tests the popularity of Democrats' plan to pass a bigger spending bill through a party-line vote, showed that 75% of voters consider such spending "very important" or "somewhat important," including 55% of likely Republican voters. 

Interestingly, while 63% of likely voters said they support a government investment to accelerate the production and adoption of electric vehicles, that goal is not supported by the majority of likely Republican voters. 

What's next: The polling, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%, bolsters the case for lawmakers who favor the bill, which could pass the Senate in the next week, although its fate in the House is less clear.

Exclusive: Poll finds bipartisan infrastructure plan has wide support

The polling bolsters the case for lawmakers who favor the bill.

Climate change

The bipartisan infrastructure plan and many of its individual provisions, enjoy majority of support among likely voters, according to new polling from the advocacy group Climate Power and the left-leaning polling firm Data for Progress, provided first to Axios. Why it matters: The bill, which <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="contains billions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/climate-and-energy-takeaways-from-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-plan-6df60d38-7106-4258-a0cb-82caedc6d046.html" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/climate-and-energy-takeaways-from-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-plan-6df60d38-7106-4258-a0cb-82caedc6d046.html" target="_self">contains billions</a> for modernizing the electrical grid, making communities more resilient to climate disasters and boosting electric vehicles, needs at least 10 Republican votes to pass in the Senate.

Andrew Freedman

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Drought forecast for Colorado shows troubling signs this spring and summer

Exclusive: Poll finds bipartisan infrastructure plan has wide support