Drought — Nance, Nebraska

2023-11-01 to 2023-11-30 · Nance, Nebraska

Wider weather episode

Throughout November 2023, at least parts of 17 of the 24 South Central Nebraska counties were assigned at least Severe Drought (D2) by the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), with roughly the eastern half of the 24-county area mired in at least D2 throughout the month as a long-term drought situation dragged on. November marked the 22nd-consecutive month with at least D2 plaguing portions of the local area, the 16th-straight month with at least Extreme Drought (D3) afflicting some locations, and the eighth-consecutive month with worst-off Exceptional Drought (D4) maintaining its dire grasp within various eastern counties. For South Central Nebraska as a whole, November was yet another month of overall-disappointing precipitation, with roughly 85 percent of the domain featuring below normal totals, and around 30 percent of the area receiving no more than half-normal. The primary exception was within some far south-southeastern counties, where at least slightly above normal precipitation prevailed (see below for more specific monthly precipitation details). Focusing on November county-level USDM drought category specifics, the vast majority of South Central Nebraska maintained status quo throughout the month, and there was no degradation. However, portions of a few southeastern counties did realize one-category improvement (more details below). Delving deeper into the details, November opened with the drought category breakdown as follows: 1) Worst-off D4 still enveloped at least portions of all counties east of Highway 281, along with parts of Hall/Adams counties (accounting for roughly 22% of the total area)...2) A buffer zone of D3 surrounded the entire D4 area, with the combined D3+D4 areas ruling much of the eastern half of the domain and impacting roughly 42% of South Central Nebraska as a whole...3) A smaller buffer zone of D2 flanked the western fringe of the D3 swath mainly within counties along the Highway 281 corridor (only accounting for around 8% of South Central Nebraska)...4) A similarly narrow, wavy stripe of Moderate Drought (D1) cut across several central local counties along the western edge of the D2 (only comprising roughly 8% of South Central Nebraska)...5) The majority of western and far northern local counties were a varied mix of Abnormally Dry (D0) along with places deemed void of all drought categories whatsoever (including D0), with the combined D0+ D-nothing areas making up roughly 40% of South Central Nebraska). The overall-greatest areal coverage of D-nothing was found in the following southwestern counties: Gosper, Phelps, Furnas and Harlan. At month's end, the vast majority of the aforementioned categorical rundown remained unchanged. However, thanks mainly to a widespread rain event on the 19th-20th that brought at least 0.50-1.00 to most of the eastern half of South Central Nebraska, the Nov. 21st USDM featured a localized, one-category improvement (D4 to D3) in parts of Clay, Fillmore, Nuckolls and Thayer counties. As a result of this change, the percentage of the 24-county area that was assigned worst-off D4 diminished slightly during November, from around 22% of it to around 18%.

Turning to November 2023 precipitation details, it was an overall-disappointing situation across South Central Nebraska as a whole, with roughly 85% of the area receiving below normal amounts (meaning less than roughly 1.08), and around 30 percent of the area tallying no more than half-normal. Interestingly, the overall-driest locations mainly concentrated within both far southwestern counties (such as Furnas/Gosper) and far northeastern counties (such as Polk/Merrick). Of the only around 15% of the domain that picked up slightly above normal precipitation, it was heavily concentrated in portions of several southeastern counties, namely: Clay, Fillmore, Webster, Nuckolls and Thayer. Per around 145 NWS and NeRAIN/CoCoRaHS observers, some of the lowest November precipitation totals included: 0.15 near Shelby, 0.18 at Naponee, 0.20 five miles southwest of Beaver City and 0.21 five miles northeast of Osceola. Meanwhile, some of the very-highest totals within the localized, slightly-above normal zone featured: 1.62 in Superior, 1.50 six miles north of Riverton, 1.43 near Nora and 1.38 in Davenport. Finishing with a quick-stat highlighting the ever-worsening, longer-term drought situation within much of the eastern half of South Central Nebraska, and focusing on one of the driest (versus normal) official NWS stations since early-2021: Grand Island (airport) totaled merely 48.25 over the 32-month stretch from April 2021-Nov. 2023...a notable 28 inches BELOW NORMAL/63% of normal.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1143912. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.