Nebraska, surrounding states and the Southwest
(NE, WY, CO, NV, AZ, NM, KS, MO, IA, SD)
Year 2003 - Drought Update
January 1, 2003 - December 31, 2003

The Platte River is dry for the 2nd year in a row.  Looking north from the middle
of the river bed, just east of Grand Island at the I-80 bridge
Image © K. Dewey, High Plains Regional Climate Center

CLICK HERE:  Drought photos (August 2003) of the Platte River in eastern Nebraska

CLICK HERE:  October 2003 Drought Update Photos
Includes the empty Republican River and Lake McConaughy at an all-time low


January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003:
Precipitation Totals (in inches)
Arizona
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Flagstaff
17.91
22.91
78%
-5.00
Phoenix
6.82
8.29
82%
-1.47
Tucson
10.05
12.17
83%
-2.12
Winslow
2.44
8.03
30%
-5.59
         
Colorado
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Alamosa
6.50
7.25
90%
-0.75
Colorado-Springs
12.42
17.40
71%
-4.98
Denver
13.92
15.81
88%
-1.89
Grand-Junction
7.31
8.99
81%
-1.68
Pueblo
10.91
12.39
88%
-1.48
Vernal
6.56
8.77
75%
-2.21
         
Iowa
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Des-Moines
32.91
34.72
95%
-1.81
Dubuque
28.77
35.52
81%
-6.75
Mason-City
25.17
34.48
73%
-9.31
Ottumwa
28.85
35.90
80%
-7.05
Sioux-City
28.19
25.99
108%
+2.20
Waterloo
28.26
33.15
85%
-4.89
         
Kansas
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Concordia
24.22
28.43
85%
-4.21
Dodge-City
22.83
22.35
102%
+0.48
Goodland
13.73
19.76
69%
-6.03
Topeka
29.40
35.64
82%
-6.24
Wichita
32.60
30.38
107%
+2.22
         
Missouri
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Columbia
39.43
40.28
98%
-0.85
Joplin
36.87
46.07
80%
-9.20
Kansas-City
27.96
37.98
74%
-10.02
Springfield
42.65
44.97
95%
-2.32
St.Joseph
26.68
35.24
76%
-8.56
St.Louis
46.06
38.75
119%
+7.31
         
Nebraska
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Chadron
17.12
16.63
103%
+0.49
Grand-Island
18.05
25.89
70%
-7.84
Hastings
20.99
27.94
75%
-6.95
Kearney
18.17
25.20
72%
-7.03
Lincoln
26.09
28.37
92%
-2.28
Norfolk
22.06
26.66
83%
-4.60
North-Platte
18.26
19.66
93%
-1.40
Omaha-Epp
23.27
30.22
77%
-6.95
Omaha-Valley
25.31
30.22
84%
-4.91
Scottsbluff
10.00
16.33
61%
-6.33
Sidney
14.81
18.78
79%
-3.97
Valentine
15.81
19.52
81%
-3.71
         
New Mexico
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Albuquerque
6.35
9.45
67%
-3.12
Nevada
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Elko
10.88
9.59
113%
+1.29
Ely
8.54
9.97
86%
-1.43
Las-Vegas
6.86
4.49
153%
+2.37
Reno
4.58
7.48
61%
-2.90
Winnemucca
8.43
8.33
101%
+0.10
         
North-Dakota
Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Bismarck
14.05
16.84
83%
-2.79
Dickinson
13.16
16.35
80%
-3.19
Fargo
18.73
21.19
88%
-2.46
Grand-Forks
17.81
19.60
91%
-1.79
Jamestown
14.38
18.49
78%
-4.11
Minot
13.56
18.44
74%
-4.88
Williston
14.56
14.16
103%
+0.40
         
South-Dakota
  Year 2003
Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Aberdeen
21.28
20.22
105%
+1.06
Huron
16.42
20.90
79%
-4.48
Mobridge
13.17
16.94
78%
-3.77
Pierre
14.27
19.88
72%
-5.61
Rapid-City
14.29
19.36
74%
-5.07
Rapid-City-Apt
10.98
16.64
66%
-5.66
Sioux-Falls
21.81
24.69
88%
-2.88
Sisseton
20.46
22.08
93%
-1.62
Watertown
18.17
21.94
83%
-3.77
Wyoming
 Year 2003 Normal
percent
of normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Casper
13.11
13.03
101%
+0.08
Cheyenne
13.54
15.45
88%
-1.91
Laramie
9.19
11.37
81%
-2.18
Rawlins
9.58
9.74
98%
-0.16
Riverton
8.10
8.68
93%
-0.58

Drought Monitor Map as of December 30, 2003
the latest map and archived maps can be found at:
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
 
 


 

Related Site:  The 2003 Drought in the Southwestern U.S.

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UNL
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
High Plains Regional Climate Center