Heat in Polk, Nebraska

Hundreds of heat-related cattle deaths occurred durring the afternoon hours on July 9th over portions of central Nebraska. This included areas of Dawson and Polk counties, and possibly other neighboring counties. Ranchers and feedlot operators typically do not reveal specifics and some do not report their losses at all, so exact numbers were not available. A spokesman for the Nebraska Cattlemen told the Lincoln Journal Star that the number of deaths across Nebraska was near what occurred in 2009, when casualties were near 4,000 head. Other reports confirmed that this was the worst loss of cattle since 2009. Each head was worth about $1,500, resulting in losses in the millions of dollars. Feedlot cattle are especially prone to heat-related death, due to large, unshaded pens.

Temperatures were in the lower 90s, with dewpoints in the lower 70s. This resulted in heat index values in the lower 100s. The stagnant air mass contributed to the misery of the cattle. Winds were low, averaging around 5 mph. The pressure gradient was weak, with a stationary front dissipating over Nebraska, ahead of an approaching cool front from the Northern Plains. Subtropical high pressure was over New Mexico and Texas, with a fairly potent short-wave trough moving through its ridge position, over the Northern Plains.