November 2009 Climate Summary

For a printable version of the climate summary which includes more figures, data tables, and state summaries, click here. 

Region Breakdown

November 2009 was warm and dry across the High Plains Region which was in stark contrast to the record setting cold and wet weather of October.  Many locations received little to no precipitation this month and average monthly temperature departures ranged from near normal in small portions of Colorado and Wyoming to 3°F to 9°F (1.7°C to 5.0°C) above normal in Kansas, Nebraska, and remaining portions of Colorado and Wyoming.  The Dakotas even had average temperature departures of over 12°F (6.7°C).  In addition, many of the same locations that ranked in the top 5 coolest Octobers on record ranked in the top 5 warmest Novembers on record.  

This month’s warm location was Spearfish, South Dakota.  After recording its third coolest October on record, Spearfish recorded its warmest November on record (1962-2009) with an average temperature of 47.2°F (8.4°C).  This smashed the previous record of 43.0°F (6.1°C) set in 2001.  Interestingly, in Spearfish, November was warmer than October which had an average temperature of only 41.1°F (5.2°C).

Precipitation Summary

November 2009 was drier than normal for the majority of the Region as many locations received little to no precipitation.  Large areas of the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Wyoming received only 25% of normal precipitation.  These dry conditions coupled with the warm temperatures allowed for farmers to make good progress towards harvesting of row crops, moving cattle onto stalks, and fall tillage.  However, due to the high moisture content, the corn harvest remained delayed as many dryers were running at full capacity and some facilities were limiting the delivery of wet grain.

The few locations that received near to above normal precipitation included pockets of Kansas, southeast Nebraska, and Colorado.  A mid-month snow storm brought heavy snow to the Nebraska-Kansas border where snowfall rates of up to 1-2 inches (2.54-5.08 cm) per hour were recorded and the heaviest snowfall totals ranged from 5-10 inches (12.70-25.40 cm).  The heavy snow led to reduced visibilities, slick roads, closed schools, and power outages.

Climate Outlook

El Niño conditions were present this month and are expected to intensify and continue through winter 2009-10 based on current observations and forecasts.  The temperature outlook indicates a higher probability of above normal temperatures for the whole Region.  The precipitation outlook indicates that there are equal chances of above, near, or below normal precipitation for the entire Region.  The seasonal outlooks combine the effects of long-term trends, soil moisture, and when applicable, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.  More information about these forecasts can be found here.

Drought Watch

This month there was little change to the U.S. Drought Monitor for the High Plains Region.  North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas remained drought free.  In Colorado, the southwest corner continued to have moderate drought (D1) and much of the surrounding area in the western part of the state continued to have abnormally dry conditions (D0).  But, according to the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook released November 19th, the drought conditions in the southwest corner of Colorado are expected to improve through February 2010.