Drought in Garden, Nebraska

Extreme (D3) drought conditions deteriorated to exceptional (D4) drought across almost all of Garden County by the end of May. Across far southeastern portions of the county, extreme (D3) drought persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Crescent Lakes NWR reported 0.85 inches of precipitation in May. This was 2.22 inches below the normal of 3.07 inches. The cooperative observer at Oshkosh 8SW reported 1.51 inches of precipitation for May. This was 1.63 inches below the normal of 3.14 inches. The cooperative observer at Oshkosh reported 1.45 inches of precipitation in May. This was 1.57 inches below the normal of 3.02 inches. The cooperative station at Oshkosh 10NE reported 1.07 inches of precipitation in May.

Continued dryness in May, led to deterioration of drought conditions for much of western and north central Nebraska. There was one pocket of drought improvement across far southwestern Nebraska. By the end of May, 87 percent of western and north central Nebraska was in extreme (D3) or exceptional (D4) drought conditions.