Is the Drought Over?

Drought Assessment for Nebraska

A:  January 1, 2006 - May 31, 2006

B:  January 1, 1999 - December 31, 2005

C:  January 1, 1999 - May 31, 2006

Official National Weather Service Observation Locations in Nebraska.  All amounts are in inches

ALSO SEE:  Lake McConaughy June 2006 Drought Impact Update

ALSO SEE:  June 6, 2006 Drought Update for the Central Nebraska Platte River (includes photos

A:  January 1, 2006 - May 31, 2006

City 
Jan-May 
2006
Jan-May 
2006
Jan-May
2006
Jan-May
2006
 
  Normal 
Observed
Departure from 
Normal
Percent of 
Normal
Broken Bow
8.18
2.45
-5.73
30.0%
Chadron 
6.75
3.81
-2.94
56.4%
Grand-Island
9.94
7.08
-2.86
71.2%
Hastings
10.76
8.17
-2.59
75.9%
Imperial
7.66
2.34
-5.32
30.5%
Kearney 
9.75
5.51
-4.24
56.5%
Lincoln
10.67
9.93
-0.74
93.1%
Norfolk
9.81
7.09
-2.72
72.3%
North-Platte
7.45
3.30
-4.15
44.3%
Omaha-Epp
11.08
9.26
-1.82
83.6%
Omaha-Valley
11.08
11.12
0.04
100.4%
Scottsbluff 
6.77
4.88
-1.89
72.1%
Sidney 
7.98
3.58
-4.40
44.9%
Valentine
7.06
5.11
-1.95
72.4%
Only Omaha, Valley is currently showing a year 2006 moisture surplus.
Broken Bow and Imperial have only received 30% of  their normal precipitation for the year to date.
North Platte and Sidney have received less than half of their normal precipitation for the year to date.

B:  January 1, 1999 - December 31, 2005
All red numbers indicate a deficit or below normal amount

City
Annual
  Normal 
Year
2005
Year
2004
Year 
2003
Year 
2002
Year 
2001
Year 
2000
Year 
1999
7-year
Total
7-year 
Normal
7-year 
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Chadron
16.63
17.47
14.22
17.12
7.78
17.94
22.99
20.61
118.13
116.41
+1.72
Grand-Island
25.89
28.89
20.89
18.05
17.14
23.11
20.09
25.29
153.46
181.23
-27.77
Hastings
27.94
24.78
25.71
20.99
17.05
28.84
22.90
27.97
168.24
195.58
-27.34
Kearney
25.20
22.27
18.90
18.17
11.80
26.51
21.56
29.37
148.58
176.40
-27.82
Lincoln
28.37
24.59
23.49
26.09
26.62
31.81
23.18
27.25
183.03
198.59
-15.56
Norfolk
26.66
 26.17
27.35
22.06
19.98
27.52
23.54
23.86
 170.48
186.62
-16.14
North-Platte
19.66
18.46
20.46
18.26
11.07
23.69
16.32
19.34
 127.60
137.62
-10.02
Omaha-Epp
30.22
23.43
33.81
23.27
26.06
28.68
27.11
38.71
 201.07
211.54
-10.47
Omaha-Valley
30.22
 32.74
30.23
25.31
25.08
29.76
30.20
29.50
 202.82
211.54
-8.72
Scottsbluff
16.33
 19.68
11.98
10.00
7.58
13.02
14.79
16.82
93.87
114.31
-20.44
Sidney
18.78
 19.67
13.70
14.81
12.14
21.59
13.65
18.11
 113.67
131.46
-17.79
Valentine
19.52
 26.25
17.35
15.81
11.31
25.44
19.48
19.39
135.03
136.64
-1.61
During the 7-year period ending December 31, 2005, only Chadron had a surplus of precipitation.
Lincoln and Grand Island only had one year with above normal precipitation during this time period.


 C:  January 1, 1999 - May 31, 2006
All red numbers indicate a deficit or below normal amount
January 1, 1999
to May 31, 2006
January 1, 1999
to May 31, 2006
January 1, 1999
to May 31, 2006
January 1, 1999
to May 31, 2006
 
Normal
Observed
Departure from
Normal
Percent 
of normal
Broken Bow
169.39
145.62
-23.77
85.9%
Chadron 
123.16
121.94
-1.22
99.0%
Grand-Island 
191.17
160.54
-30.63
84.0%
Hastings 
206.34
176.41
-29.93
85.5%
Imperial
146.61
107.67
-38.94
73.4%
Kearney 
186.15
154.09
-32.06
82.8%
Lincoln 
209.26
192.96
-16.30
92.2%
Norfolk 
196.43
177.57
-18.86
90.4%
North-Platte 
145.07
130.90
-14.17
90.2%
Omaha-Epp 
222.62
210.33
-12.29
94.5%
Omaha-Valley 
222.62
213.94
-8.68
96.1%
Scottsbluff 
121.08
98.75
-22.33
81.6%
Sidney 
139.44
117.25
-22.19
84.1%
Valentine 
143.70
140.14
-3.56
97.5%
At the end of this 7-year, 5 month time period, all of the locations listed in the above
table are reporting a deficit in precipitation compared to normal.  The greatest
deficit is in the Grand Island and Kearney areas where over 2 1/2 feet of rainfall
(30.63 inches and 32.06 inches) are need to make up the total deficit.

The northern region of the state have seen the least impact of the drought,
with deficits only 1.22 inches in Chadron and 3.56 inches in Valentine.

With timely rainfall, the impact may not be noted agriculturally, however,
hydrologically, lake levels, and river flows will continue to be dramatically impacted until
much of this deficit is restored.


Record Dry May in 2006 at these Nebraska locations:
Station    May 2006 Total / Normal / Previous Record
Butte, Boyd Co.            / 0.03 / 3.94 / 0.64 in 1966
Anselmo 2SE, Custer Co.    / 0.05 / 3.74 / 0.57 in 1994
Arnold, Custer Co.         / 0.07 / 3.64 / 0.38 in 1994
Ainsworth, Brown Co.       / 0.10 / 3.39 / 0.42 in 1956
Chambers, Holt Co.         / 0.17 / 3.82 / 0.78 in 1994
Mason City, Custer Co.     / 0.17 / 3.88 / 0.30 in 1964
Broken Bow, Custer Co.     / 0.19 / 3.51 / 0.37 in 1897 (records to 1894)
Hershey 5SSE, Lincoln Co.  / 0.42 / 3.25 / 0.61 in 1953
N.Platte Exp Farm,         / 0.45 / 3.47 / 0.74 in 1966

Is the Drought Over?
Unlike most weather phenomena which have a well defined onset and end,
drought is much more difficult to determine the time of onset and its demise.

Agriculturally, timely rainfall can mask a deeper and longer term hydrological
drought by bringing moisture to shallow rooted crops.

At this point in 2006, some of the regions in Nebraska have received well less than
50% of normal precipitation.  These same areas have a deficit of ground water
recharging and reservoir filling, precipitation that exceed 2 feet in amounts.

The drought may be close to being over, but in reality the state remains in drought
conditions that will continue to impact water resources and permanent
vegetation across much of the state.

Lake McConaughy June 2006 Drought Impact Update

Central Platte River Year 2005 Drought Photos