Nebraska, surrounding states and the Southwest
(NE, WY, CO, NV, AZ, NM, KS, MO, IA, SD, ND)
Year 2004 - Drought Update
January 1, 2004 - December 31, 2004

Image © K. Dewey, High Plains Regional Climate Center
August 3, 2004:  The Platte River has no flowing water for the third year in a row,
Looking northeast from the middle of the river bed, just east of Grand Island at the I-80 bridge.
The small amount of water off to the right is not moving and is merely
a small pool of water left over from a recent rainfall.

LINK TO:A Major Drought hits Lake McConaughy

LINK TO:Drought Assessment for Nebraska, January 2000 to August 2004

LINK TO:August 2004 Nebraska Drought Photos

January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004:
Precipitation Totals (in inches).
RED indicates total is below normal.

Arizona 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Douglas 
10.13
12.53
81%
-2.40
Flagstaff 
23.61
22.91
103%
0.70
Phoenix 
7.98
8.29
96%
-0.31
Tucson 
7.62
12.17
63%
-4.55
Winslow 
7.48
8.03
93%
-0.55
Colorado 
Observed
Normal
Percent 
of normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Alamosa 
6.03
7.25
83%
-1.22
Colorado-Springs
21.13
17.40
121%
3.73
Denver 
14.67
15.81
93%
-1.14
Grand-Junction
9.60
8.99
107%
0.61
Pueblo 
14.06
12.39
113%
1.67
Vernal 
9.19
8.77
105%
0.42
Iowa 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
Normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Des-Moines 
37.67
34.72
108%
2.95
Dubuque 
31.14
35.52
88%
-4.38
Mason-City 
41.97
34.48
122%
7.49
Ottumwa 
35.39
35.90
99%
-0.51
Sioux-City 
25.55
25.99
98%
-0.44
Waterloo 
34.95
33.15
105%
1.80
Kansas 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Concordia 
24.58
28.43
86%
-3.85
Dodge-City 
24.46
22.35
109%
2.11
Goodland 
21.54
19.76
109%
1.78
Topeka 
40.07
35.64
112%
4.43
Wichita 
37.80
30.38
124%
7.42
Missouri 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Columbia 
45.95
40.28
114%
5.67
Joplin 
48.35
46.07
105%
2.28
Kansas-City 
37.61
37.98
99%
-0.37
Springfield 
43.27
44.97
96%
-1.70
St.Joseph 
31.23
35.24
89%
-4.01
St.Louis 
42.26
38.75
109%
3.51
Nebraska 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Chadron 
14.22
16.63
86%
-2.41
Grand-Island 
20.89
25.89
81%
-5.00
Hastings 
25.71
27.94
92%
-2.23
Kearney 
18.90
25.20
75%
-6.30
Lincoln 
23.49
28.37
83%
-4.88
Norfolk 
27.35
26.66
103%
0.69
North-Platte 
20.46
19.66
104%
0.80
Omaha-Epp 
33.81
30.22
112%
3.59
Omaha-Valley 
30.23
30.22
100%
0.01
Scottsbluff 
11.98
16.33
73%
-4.35
Sidney 
13.70
18.78
73%
-5.08
Valentine 
17.35
19.52
89%
-2.17
New Mexico 
Observed
Normal
percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Albuquerque 
11.80
9.47
125%
2.33
Clayton 
23.27
15.13
154%
8.14
Roswell 
16.69
13.34
125%
3.35
Nevada 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-)
Surplus (+)
Elko 
11.23
9.59
117%
1.64
Ely 
9.01
9.97
90%
-0.96
Las-Vegas 
7.76
4.49
173%
3.27
Reno 
9.41
7.48
126%
1.93
Winnemucca 
6.71
8.33
81%
-1.62
North-Dakota 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Bismarck 
16.12
16.84
96%
-0.72
Dickinson 
12.88
16.35
79%
-3.47
Fargo 
26.03
21.19
123%
4.84
Grand-Forks 
21.41
19.60
109%
1.81
Jamestown 
21.80
18.49
118%
3.31
Minot 
14.62
18.44
79%
-3.82
Williston 
13.11
14.16
93%
-1.05
South-Dakota 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Aberdeen 
21.77
20.22
108%
1.55
Huron 
29.71
20.90
142%
8.81
Mitchell
24.78
22.86
108%
1.92
Mobridge 
15.50
16.94
91%
-1.44
Pierre 
18.73
19.88
94%
-1.15
Rapid-City 
15.04
19.36
78%
-4.32
Rapid-City-Apt
13.27
16.64
80%
-3.37
Sioux-Falls 
30.92
24.69
125%
6.23
Sisseton 
23.87
22.08
108%
1.79
Watertown 
27.28
21.94
124%
5.34
 
Wyoming 
Observed
Normal
Percent of 
normal
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Casper 
9.93
13.03
76%
-3.10
Cheyenne 
14.36
15.45
93%
-1.09
Lander 
13.89
13.42
104%
0.47
Laramie 
11.88
11.37
104%
0.51
Rawlins 
10.93
9.74
112%
1.19
Riverton 
8.59
8.68
99%
-0.09

Image © K. Dewey, High Plains Regional Climate Center. 
Kingsley Dam, Lake McConaughy, Nebraska, Nov. 12, 2004. The lake has dropped over 60 feet in elevation.  Read about this major drought impact with a forecast for next summer.  See photos of the lost city of Lemoyne.
A Major Drought hits Lake McConaughy

Platte River Drought Update

also see our:
Monthly Photo Gallery

End of December:

End of November:

End of October:

End of September:

The latest Drought Monitor Map and archived maps can be found at:
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

6 Year (1999-2004)
Annual Precipitation Totals -

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

All red numbers indicate a deficit or below normal amount

City
Annual 
   Normal 
Year
2004
Year 
2003
Year 
2002
Year 
2001
Year 
2000
Year 
1999
6-year
Total
   6-year 
   Normal 
6-year 
Deficit (-) 
Surplus (+)
Chadron
16.63
14.22
17.12
7.78
17.94
22.99
20.61
100.66
99.78
+0.88
Grand-Island
25.89
20.89
18.05
17.14
23.11
20.09
25.29
124.57
155.34
-30.77
Hastings
27.94
25.71
20.99
17.05
28.84
22.90
27.97
143.46
167.64
-24.18
Kearney
25.20
18.90
18.17
11.80
26.51
21.56
29.37
126.31
151.20
-24.89
Lincoln
28.37
23.49
26.09
26.62
31.81
23.18
27.25
158.44
170.22
-11.78
Norfolk
26.66
27.35
22.06
19.98
27.52
23.54
23.86
144.31
159.96
-15.65
North-Platte
19.66
20.46
18.26
11.07
23.69
16.32
19.34
109.14
117.96
-8.82
Omaha-Epp
30.22
33.81
23.27
26.06
28.68
27.11
38.71
177.64
181.32
-3.68
Omaha-Valley
30.22
30.23
25.31
25.08
29.76
30.20
29.50
170.08
181.32
-11.24
Scottsbluff
16.33
11.98
10.00
7.58
13.02
14.79
16.82
74.19
97.98
-23.79
Sidney
18.78
13.70
14.81
12.14
21.59
13.65
18.11
94.00
112.68
-18.68
Valentine
19.52
17.35
15.81
11.31
25.44
19.48
19.39
108.78
117.12
-8.34

Grand Island has had below normal precipitation all 6 years.
Grand Island has a deficit of 30.77 inches of precipitation for the 6-year time period.
Kearney has a deficit of 24.89 inches of precipitation for the 6-year time period.
Chadron, is the only NWS observation location that has a surplus after 6 years.
Chadron only had 2 years with below normal precipitation.
Five of the above 12 locations have only had one year out of the past 6 with above normal precipitation.

Drought Related News Reports

Bill Speeds up Plan to Bring Rural Water to Las Vegas
Deeping Drought, Lake Level in Fast Fall Western Drought Retains Tight Grip
High and Dry Six Year Drought Reigns Over the West
Aurora Prepares for Drought Winter Snow Cover Disappears, Park City Drought Continues
NWS/NOAA Hydrologic Center, current Drought Information Las Vegas Gets Reality Shock about Drought
Drought Forces Boat Ramp Extensions at Lake Powell Sierra Snowpack Falls Short of ending Drought
Officials to Take Colorado River Trip Snowmelt Forecast Dismal

IMPORTANT LINKS:

Western Regional Climate Center

High Plains Regional Climate Center

National Climatic Data Center

National Drought Mitigation Center

Hoover Dam

The Drought Monitor Map from 3 months ago:


 

The Drought Monitor Map from 4 months ago:

The Drought Monitor Map from 5 months ago:
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

 


 


Image © K. Dewey, High Plains Regional Climate Center
The Platte River without any water last year (2003).  Looking north from the middle
of the river bed, just east of Grand Island at the I-80 bridge.

CLICK HERE:  Drought photos last year (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
 

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

Return to:   The Nebraska Weather and Climate Home Page

Return to:   The Lincoln, NE Weather and Climate Home Page

UNL
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
High Plains Regional Climate Center