Drought conditions have worsened across Nebraska, with a swath of extreme drought in central Nebraska, (U.S. Drought Monitor, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — Drought conditions continue to worsen throughout the state, with a swath of extreme drought conditions now present across Interstate 80 corridor in central Nebraska.
The swath of Extreme Drought conditions, D3, is now present from in a narrow swath across parts of Frontier, Dawson, Gosper, Phelps, Buffalo and Hall counties.
The rest of central Nebraska is either under Severe Drought conditions, D2, or Moderate Drought conditions, D1, across areas around and east of Hastings.
“In the southern half of the High Plains region, warmer-than-normal weather continued this week amid mainly dry and frequently windy conditions,” per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“Degradation in drought conditions was widespread across Nebraska and southern parts of South Dakota. A deadly wildfire in western Nebraska, the Morrill Fire, has burned a record amount of land for Nebraska wildfires,” the Drought Monitor stated, “This fire, and others across Nebraska, occurred amid weather conditions favorable for fire growth and a background of worsening drought conditions.”
“Large precipitation deficits and above-normal evaporative demand over the last several months led to extreme drought development,” per the Drought Monitor.
To date, 97 percent of Nebraska is under some form of drought.
