June 2008 Climate Summary

Region Breakdown

June 2008 was a cool month for the majority of the High Plains Region. Large areas experienced temperatures 2-5 °F (1-3 °C) below normal. The exception to below normal temperatures occurred in areas of Southern Kansas and Colorado. Those areas experienced temperatures as much as 3 °F (2 °C) above normal. The largest departures from normal in either direction occurred in West Central South Dakota (5 °F or 3 °C below normal) and South Eastern Colorado (4 °F or 2 °C above normal).

The precipitation pattern over the High Plains Region took on a much different pattern than the temperatures. Areas of well above normal (150%+) and well below (50% and below) existed across the region. No correlation between departure from normal temperature and percent of normal precipitation appears to be evident. The areas of above normal precipitation occurred in Eastern North Dakota, Central and Western South Dakota, Central and Southeastern Nebraska, Extreme Northeastern Colorado, and Central and Southeastern Kansas. Areas well below normal precipitation occurred in the majority of Colorado and Wyoming with other areas including Western Kansas and Northeastern Nebraska.

Drought conditions continue to persist over many of the same areas with one marked area of great improvement. The extreme drought conditions (D3) of North Dakota have improved greatly and been reduced to a large areas of D0 and D1 in the west with a smaller area along the western border of D2. Drought conditions no longer exist in Eastern North Dakota. Drought through the rest of the region remained the same with some increased D3 areas along the southern portions of the Colorado-Kansas border. Northwestern Nebraska also dropped from D2 drought condition to D1 over the last month.

Precipitation Summary

Much like May, June was diverse in the sense that there was little uniformity in the distribution of percent of normal precipitation. For the most part, the same areas received above normal precipitation as May. Central and Western South Dakota, Central and Southeastern Nebraska, and Southwestern Kansas all received well above normal precipitation for the month of June, in the area of 150-200% the normal. Continued cool weather and system after system moving through has kept the jet relatively far to the south, allowing for the same areas to receive continued above normal precipitation.

Dynamically, systems are slowly moving further north, as is expected with warmer temperatures penetrating further into the High Plains Region. A shift of precipitation further north may be expected as warmer temperatures continue to penetrate further north.

As many may have heard through various news outlets, on June 11th, 2008 a system producing severe weather and tornadoes rolled through Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa. The system dropped numerous tornadoes, of which an EF3 devastated the Little Sioux Boy Scout Camp killing 4 young scouts. Our condolences go out to the families and those who knew the boys.

On June 28th a system moved through the Fremont and Omaha areas on east into Iowa that was not primarily a rain producer, but resulted in high winds. Widespread areas reported winds in excess of 80-90 mph and damaged trees and buildings as it moved through.

Extreme single events include 3.86 inches (98 mm) on June 1st at Galesburg, KS, 2.63 inches (66.8 mm) on June 5th at Syracuse, NE, 3.32 inches (84.3 mm) on June 2nd at Pierre Rgnl AP, SD, and 3.59 inches (91.2 mm) on June 4th at Grand Island, NE.

Extreme total precipitation amounts across the region include 15.15 inches (384.8 mm) at Galesburg, KS, over 3 times the normal amount, and 0.17 inches (4.3 mm) at Crested Butte, CO, less than 1/6 the normal amount.

Climate Outlook

Drought Watch

Drought persists through much of the same areas as last month, with marked improvement in North Dakota. Extreme drought conditions no longer exist in North Dakota as the area experienced increased precipitation. The Panhandle region of Nebraska also saw some minor improvement over this time last month. The remaining areas of drought persisted through the month with little change. North Dakota is predicted to see no more improvement, and possibly some intensification through September along with South Western Wyoming, while the Nebraska Panhandle and Colorado-Kansas border are expected to see some improvement.