Current Projects

• Nebraska Soil Moisture
• Wind Energy
• Evapotranspiration

March 2008 Climate Summary

March 2008 was an active month for precipitation and temperature in the High Plains region. Temperatures averaged near-Normal for the region with the exception of warmer than Normal temperature (between 2-4 degrees F above) for NW South Dakota and western North Dakota, and cooler than Normal average temperature for portions of the Colorado and Wyoming Rockies (4-8 degrees F below) and Eastern Nebraska, Eastern South Dakota and Eastern Kansas (2-4 degrees F below). ...More

Source/Author: Christy Carlson, High Plains Regional Climate Center 04/11/08

NOAA: Coolest Winter Since 2001 for U.S., Globe

The average temperature across both the contiguous U.S. and the globe during climatological winter (December 2007-February 2008) was the coolest since 2001, according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. In terms of winter precipitation, Pacific storms, bringing heavy precipitation to large parts of the West, produced high snowpack that will provide welcome runoff this spring.

A complete analysis is available online at:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2008/feb/feb08.html ...More

Source/Author: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 03/14/08

February 2008 Climate Summary

Wet conditions in SE Kansas, Colder than Normal in Eastern Plains

Colder than normal temperatures were prevalent in eastern portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and northeastern Kansas. Average February Temperature departures from the 1971-2000 Normals ranged from -4F (-2C) to -10F (-6C) for much of this area. These depressions were aided by snow cover which present for much of February throughout this entire region, with the deepest snow depths in portions of eastern North Dakota and northeast Kansas.
The Nebraska Panhandle and areas west of Kearney, western Kansas and the plains of Colorado and Wyoming were very close to normal temperatures, with some areas between 2F (1C) and 4F (2.2C) above Normal on the lee side of the Rockies in Colorado and Wyoming. ...More

Source/Author: Christy Carlson - High Plains Regional Climate Center 03/11/08

January 2008 High Plains Climate Summary

With North Dakota, Nebraska and South Dakota State Summaries Included

Cold temperatures dominated most of January for Colorado and Wyoming, with beneficial snows in the mountains of central and western Colorado and Wyoming. For Southwest and South Central Colorado the average temperature for January was from 8-10F below the 1971-2000 normal. ...More

Source/Author: Christy Carlson - High Plains Regional Climate Center 02/11/08

2007 10th Warmest for U.S., 5th Warmest Worldwide

The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. in 2007 is officially the tenth warmest on record, according to data from scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The agency also determined the global surface temperature last year was the fifth warmest on record. ...More

Source/Author: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 01/18/08