Drought — Custer, Nebraska

2012-07-01 to 2012-07-31 · Custer, Nebraska

Event narrative

Severe drought conditions (D2), which began the month of June, intensified to extreme drought conditions (D3) and to an exceptional drought (D4) in most of the eastern half the county by the end of the month. Pastures that make up close to 63 percent of the land use in Custer County (2007 Census USDA) was rated 69% poor or very poor. The lack of rain limited grazing capacity and created increased sales of livestock as the departure from normal precipitation reached below 3 inches in the east. Crop producers began silage of dryland corn. On July 23rd all counties in Nebraska were approved for CRP Emergency Haying and Grazing. The drought continued into August.

Wider weather episode

Severe drought conditions (D2) continued from late June into early July. The combination of intense heat and a lack of rainfall, allowed extreme (D3) to expand to across all counties. Further, in eastern Custer County the prolong lack of rain resulted in exceptional (D4) drought conditions to develop by the end of the month. Official observation platforms recorded their driest July period on record as rainfall deficits increased to below 2 to 3 inches in most areas north of Interstate 80.

Nebraska's power grid took hits as well from the extremely hot temperatures and dry weather. The need for power was so great Custer Public Power District was forced into rolling blackouts for the Nebraska Sandhills on the 18th, when emergency relief was implemented as irrigation demands rose.

By the 23rd, the Nebraska Governor declared a state of emergency in all 93 Nebraska counties, and ordered the department of roads to allow roadside haying for the remainder of the summer.

Crop conditions across Nebraska deteriorated significantly by the end of the month. According to the USDA, 37 percent of the total corn crop, 38 percent of the soybean crop and 83 percent of pastureland was rated either very poor or poor. Irrigated corn rated 55 percent good to excellent, while dry land corn rated 5 percent good to excellent. Many livestock producers have begun to haul water to cattle, while deteriorating pasture conditions have forced producers to sell their herds early.

The abnormally dry conditions led to numerous range fires started by lightning. Two major fires occurred during the month. One in Thomas County which burned approximately 1000 acres, and the Region 24 Wildfire that included Keya Paha, Brown, and Cherry counties, where approximately 76,000 acres burned.

Extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4) drought conditions continued into August.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 391357. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.