January 2017 Climate Summary Now Available

Overview - Wet Conditions Boost Snowpack and Bring Drought Relief

Much of the High Plains experienced wet conditions during January, as precipitation was greater than 200 percent of normal across parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. This wetness led to some records across the region. For instance, Alamosa, Colorado and Dodge City, Kansas had their wettest January on record, and it was the snowiest January for Alamosa and Riverton, Wyoming. Snowfall was ample across the Rockies, which boosted snowpack but caused ski resorts to close. Farther east, heavy rain fell across parts of Kansas, with some locations receiving more than double their normal monthly precipitation total in one day. This abundant rainfall helped ease drought conditions in the region. Heavy precipitation and large changes in drought conditions in the High Plains are rare for this time of year.

Temperatures were cooler than normal in the western High Plains, while the eastern High Plains and western Colorado experienced slightly above-normal temperatures. While temperatures were not record-breaking in January, they had an impact on the type of precipitation that fell in the region. Several places that ordinarily get snowfall in January got rain or freezing rain instead, as was the case in parts of Colorado and Nebraska. Ice storm warnings were issued, which are not common in these areas in January. Some locations around the region have received a greater-than-normal proportion of precipitation falling as rain instead of snow during this snow season. For example, Lincoln, Nebraska had its 4th least snowiest October-January period on record, despite total precipitation for that period being slightly above normal.

During the winter, producers in the High Plains region monitor the weather conditions closely for winter wheat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers in western Kansas and eastern Colorado have been concerned about winter wheat stands due to dry conditions in the fall, which has caused growth to fall behind. Also, a lack of snow cover has left the crop vulnerable during outbreaks of Arctic air. As of the end of January, the majority of the winter wheat crop in Kansas and Colorado was in fair or good condition.

For more information on temperature, precipitation, and impacts from climate in January in the High Plains region, please see the link to the full PDF of the summary: http://hprcc.unl.edu/climatesummaries.php