Drought in Custer, Nebraska

Over most of Custer County, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of May. Over far southeastern portions of the county, extreme (D3) drought conditions, improved to severe (D2) drought conditions by the end of the month. Across northwestern portions of Custer County, severe (D2) drought conditions deteriorated to extreme (D3) drought conditions by the end of May. At the Broken Bow Airport, 2.65 inches of precipitation was reported in May. This was 1.30 inches below the normal of 3.95 inches. The cooperative observer at Broken Bow 2W reported 2.69 inches of precipitation for May. This was 1.34 inches below the normal of 4.03 inches. The cooperative observer at Callaway 8WSW reported 2.36 inches of precipitation for 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.