As we enter the 21st century in January 2000,  it is interesting to look back over the 20th century.   The weather of Nebraska is certainly quite variable and demonstrates many extremes from year to year, season to season and for that matter from day to day.

Although it is a difficult task to list the top ten weather events in the Lincoln weather archive here in the High Plains Climate Center, and a top 100 list might seem more appropriate, here is the top ten listing for Lincoln, NE, as prepared by Dr. Ken Dewey, research climatologist at the High Plains Climate Center in the School of Natural Resource Sciences of UNL.

1.  Dust bowl years and the summer of 1936.
The summer of 1936 was the hottest summer on record producing  41 days of temperatures 100 F or higher and 82 days with 90 F or higher.  The 3-month summer precipitation total in 1936 was only 2.84 inches compared to 1993 when the summer precipitation totaled 24.33 inches. This lack of precipitation in 1936 (and 1934 was almost as dry and hot) was combined with some of the most searing heat ever recorded in Lincoln. The hot dry summers of the mid 1930's put Lincoln in the heart of what was called the "dust bowl" and no other period in recorded Lincoln weather history was as unbearable.

2.  Salt Creek Flooding.
Between 1900 and 1952, 136 floods occurred along the salt creek (22 of them major).  Downtown Lincoln looked more like Venice, Italy with canals of water in its streets during several of these flood events, most notably 1908 and 1950 when the entire Haymarket area was covered with several feet of flood water.  During the summer of 1993, almost 24 inches of rain fell in Lincoln and the flood discharge along the salt creek was the highest ever measured.  Sandbagging was used near the Devaney Center and the Lincoln Waste Water Plant. However, the 10 flood control water retaining structures built by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (Holmes Lake dam is one of these) did their job, sparing downtown Lincoln from being flooded. Hwy 6 at the Interstate-80 exit was
closed however, due to extensive flooding in the Steven's Creek watershed.

3.  The October 25, 1997 Snowstorm.
This was a once in a 200- year storm bringing record amounts of snowfall to our region with 13 inches in the city of Lincoln.  Almost all of the trees were still in full leaf and the snow fell at a nearly constant temperature of 32F causing the snow to stick to every leaf on the trees.   This single storm, brought the largest ever destruction to Lincoln trees.  Record breaking cold temperatures in the single digits making it feel and look like mid-winter gripped the area for several days following the storm.  Many areas of town were without power for over a week and clean-up efforts continued well into the following summer.

4.  January 12, 1975 "Blizzard of the Century".
Although the state and the region has been visited by numerous blizzards, this one is outstanding in that it virtually paralyzed the two largest metropolitan areas of Lincoln and Omaha.  This storm, often termed the "blizzard of the century" by meteorologists brought  record low atmospheric pressures to the region.  Winds were so strong that a 15 foot high snow drift was created and closed 70th street just south of St. Elizabeth Community Health Center.  Similar to some of our other major snowstorms, this storm was accompanied by extensive thunder and lightning.
 

5.  July 8, 1993 Derecho.
A windstorm, termed a "Derecho" by meteorologists roared across the state moving at a forward speed of up to 70 miles per hour and producing wind speeds in excess of 100 miles an hour.  These winds and the small tornadoes that it produced destroyed trees in all parts of Lincoln and produced the greatest destruction to our trees until the blizzard of October 1997 eclipsed that record.  Several small tornadoes were spun-up by this tornado and passed over the city at roof top level snapping off trees above the ground.  One small tornado did damage to houses near 27th and Superior.

6.  The year without a summer, 1915.
This summer stands out in the weather archives as the summer when early residents of our area must have thought they were living in Canada and not the middle of the Great Plains. Temperatures never reached 100 degrees and from June 21 to September 21, temperatures only reached 90 degrees 5 times (in contrast to the 82 days of the summer of 1936!).  It rained on 43 days of the summer, or approximately every other day.  The summer temperatures only averaged in the 60's causing failure of the crops that were planted in the Lincoln area.

7.  Columbus Day snowstorm, 1970.
October 9, 1970, with its 6.6 inches of snow was, until 1997, the largest ever observed October snowfall in Lincoln.   It still remains as the earliest observed significant snowfall and brought extensive damage to the trees of Lincoln all of which were in full leaf at the time.  With many of the power lines above ground, Lincoln suffered its most extensive loss of electrical power in its history (even greater than 1997) as falling tree branches landed on these power lines.

8.  April 2, 1982.  All four seasons in one day, tornadoes to blizzards.

At 4 PM on April 2, 1982 the temperature in Lincoln stood at 82F with bright sunshine and muggy summer-like conditions.  A tornado watch was issued an hour later and funnel clouds were spotted south of the city as spring-like weather spread over the city.  By early evening, a cold rain and strong northerly winds hit the city bring fall-like weather.  At 10 PM, winter weather returned with temperatures falling into the upper 20's and snow and blizzard conditions caused by 70 mph wind gusts bringing the city to a standstill.  This was certainly one day where the adage, "if you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes and it will change" was certainly true.

9.  July 25th, 1936, the hottest 24 hours ever in Lincoln.
This was the hottest day ever recorded in Lincoln with a high of 115 F and a low of only 91 F.  And an average for the day of 103 F.  All three are records that will, hopefully, stand for a long time and not be broken again in our lifetimes.  Many residents of Lincoln spent the hot nights sleeping on the lawn of the capitol.

10.  January 12, 1974.  The coldest morning ever observed in Lincoln.
The low temperature on this morning reached, -33 F.  Not only was it the coldest ever recorded in Lincoln, but we were the "climate national champions" on that morning having the nation's coldest observed temperature, colder than even Alaska.  This is one championship that Lincoln residents don't want to see us repeat!  This cold wave produced 17 mornings of sub-zero temperatures and one of the deepest snow covers in Lincoln's history.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is also interesting is what is missing from the list, Lincoln's Tornado Climatology.  There is no listing of a tornado plowing through the city of Lincoln.  Despite sitting in the region known as tornado alley, and notable large tornadoes having struck Omaha, NE in 1913 and 1975 and Grand Island, NE in 1980, Lincoln has not taken a direct hit from a significant tornado in the 20th century.  The state has recorded over 2000 tornadoes since 1950, yet Lincoln has remained virtually untouched.  Small weak tornadoes have entered the city producing minor damage, but nothing large enough to cause injuries or extensive damage.  As we enter the first severe weather season of the 21st century, the residents of Lincoln need to keep a watchful eye to the sky.
 

Some close runners-up:

>  The Halloween that wasn't, October 1991.  Record cold and icy conditions cause the mayor to cancel Halloween.

> The winter of ice covered roads, Thanksgiving 1983-February 1984.  A thick wet snow turned to slush, flash froze and with temperatures staying below freezing until February, all of the area roads were covered with a thick coating of ice.  The city tried using road graders to break up the ice in late January.

>The droughts of the 1950's and 1970's.