The Drought is Not Over.
Drought Assessment for Nebraska

July 30, 2006:  Image© HPRCC The Platte River is empty for another year as the
region remains in the grip of drought.


September 2, 2006:  Central Nebraska looking east along I-80 near sunset.
Recent rainfall and cooler temperatures have allowed the center of the state to green up again.
However, the entire state still has a long term precipitation deficit.


Click on the following Links or scroll down:
A: January 1, 2006 - August 31, 2006
B: January 1, 1999 - December 31, 2005
C: January 1, 1999 - August 31, 2006

ALSO SEE the listing of related links at the end of the table.
These links will take you to our drought impact photos.

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

A:  January 1, 2006 - August 31, 2006
Precipitation (in inches) Compared to Normal
All red numbers indicate a deficit or below normal amount

Year 2006
Jan. 1- August 31
Jan. 1- August 31
Departure
Percent
City
Normal
Observed
from Normal
of Normal
Alliance
  
7.70
Broken Bow
18.24
8.77
-9.47
48.1%
Chadron
13.15
8.44
-4.71
64.2%
Grand-Island
19.88
16.08
-3.80
80.9%
Hastings
21.34
19.70
-1.64
92.3%
Imperial
16.07
10.92
-5.15
68.0%
Kearney
19.80
20.94
1.14
105.8%
Lincoln
21.07
16.71
-4.36
79.3%
Norfolk
20.60
17.12
-3.48
83.1%
North-Platte
15.94
13.55
-2.39
85.0%
Omaha-Epp
22.10
21.42
-0.68
96.9%
Omaha-Valley
22.10
23.11
1.01
104.6%
Scottsbluff
12.74
9.85
-2.89
77.3%
Sidney
15.78
7.92
-7.86
50.2%
Valentine
15.64
11.17
-4.47
71.4%

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 - August 31, 2006
(7 Years and 8 Months)
All red numbers indicate a deficit or below normal amount
Nebraska 
Precipitation
January 1, 1999
to August 31, 2006
January 1, 1999
to August 31, 2006
January 1, 1999
to August 31, 2006
January 1, 1999
to August 31, 2006
City
Total
Normal
Departure
Percent of Normal
Broken Bow
176.02
179.45
-3.43
98.1%
Chadron
126.57
129.56
-2.99
97.7%
Grand-Island
169.54
201.11
-31.57
84.3%
Hastings
187.94
216.92
-28.98
86.6%
Kearney
169.52
196.20
-26.68
86.4%
Lincoln
199.74
219.66
-19.92
90.9%
Norfolk
187.60
207.22
-19.62
90.5%
North-Platte
141.15
153.56
-12.41
91.9%
Omaha-Epp
222.49
233.64
-11.15
95.2%
Omaha-Valley
225.93
233.64
-7.71
96.7%
Scottsbluff
103.72
127.05
-23.33
81.6%
Sidney
121.59
147.24
-25.65
82.6%
Valentine
146.20
152.28
-6.08
96.0%
At the end of this 7-year, 8 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 area where over 2 1/2 feet of rainfall
(31.57 inches) are needed to make up the total deficit.

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.


ALSO SEE these related links (which have many drought impact photos):
August 2006, The Weather Channel Films A Special Program on Drought in Nebraska
Year 2006 Drought Update (September 1, 2006) for the High Plains and surrounding region
 Lake McConaughy August 2, 2006 Drought Impact Update
Lake McConaughy falls below the level of last year (July 1, 2006 Update) with photos
  June 6, 2006 Drought Update for the Central Nebraska Platte River (includes photos
High Plains 12-Month Precipitation Assessment, September 1, 2005 - August 31, 2006
High Plains 36-Month Precipitation Assessment, September 1, 2005 - August 31, 2006
U.S. 12-Month Precipitation Assessment, September 1, 2005 - August 31, 2006
U.S. 36 Month Precipitation Assessment, September 1, 2003 - August 31, 2006
High Plains and U.S. Temperature assessment, January 1-August 31, 2006
August 2005 Central Platte River Drought Photos
August 2005, Lake McConaughy only rises 3 feet during the past 12 months (with photos)
Platte River Drought Photos, August 2005
Platte River August 2005 Stream flow and Drought Information
A Major Drought hits Lake McConaughy (Nov. 2004)
November 2004 Platte River Drought Photos
August 3, 2004 Nebraska Drought Photos
October 2003 Drought Update Photos
Southwest U.S., October 2003, Drought Impacts and Photos
August 23, 2003 Platte River Drought Photos
The Platte River Runs Dry 2002


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 (September 1), some of the regions in Nebraska have received only
50% of normal precipitation.  These same areas have a deficit of ground water
recharging and reservoir filling, precipitation that exceeds 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.

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University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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