Drought conditions across Nebraska as of March 24, (U.S. Drought Monitor, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — Extreme drought conditions expanded across Nebraska as the winter drought continues into early spring. Record high temperatures have also contributed to the expansion.
The swath of extreme drought, D3, conditions over central Nebraska was expanded into southwest Nebraska. Other pockets of extreme drought include the Nebraska Panhandle and northwest Nebraska.
For the Tri-City area, Buffalo and Hall counties are under mostly extreme drought conditions, while Adams County is split between severe drought, D2, conditions and moderate drought, D1, conditions.
To date, 99 percent of Nebraska is under some type of drought condition, while 21 percent is under extreme drought.
“This week, extreme weather events across the United States painted a starkly contrasting picture of drought development and relief. In the West and Plains, a persistent heat dome drove temperatures 20 to 25 degrees above normal, shattering early-season records and significantly increasing evaporative demand,” per the U.S. Drought Monitor’s national summary.
“Intense, unseasonable warmth gripped the High Plains, with temperatures soaring up to 25 degrees above normal. Precipitation was nearly non-existent, particularly across the southern half of the region. This severe, persistent dryness, coupled with rapidly deteriorating drought indicators, forced widespread expansion and intensification of drought categories,” the Drought Monitor stated in its update about the High Plains region.
“Exceptional drought (D4) expanded in northwest Colorado, while extreme drought (D3) grew across Colorado, southern Wyoming, and southern Nebraska. Severe drought (D2) pushed further into central and northern Wyoming, western and southern Colorado, and advanced from Nebraska into South Dakota. Moderate drought (D1) and abnormal dryness (D0) also expanded broadly across Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas,” per the Drought Monitor.
No drought improvements were made in the High Plains this week.
According to the National Weather Service – Hastings, model are showing the potential to transition into a more active zonal or southwesterly pattern as we enter April.
There is still uncertainty regarding the fine details as far as timing and track of any disturbances that could bring precipitation, but those chances will be back in the forecast.
