August 2017 Climate Summary Now Available

Cool Temperatures Cause Concern for Crops

The latter part of the summer turned cooler for much of the High Plains region, as August temperatures were largely below normal, particularly across the eastern part of the region. Several locations in Nebraska did not reach 90.0 degrees F (32.2 degrees C) the entire month, which is quite rare for the state. Many people enjoyed the welcomed break from the summertime heat; however, the cool temperatures have producers concerned about drying crops down for harvest and the risk of an early frost or freeze that would be especially detrimental to late-planted and replanted crops. As for precipitation, it was a mix of wet and dry conditions across the region. The excessive wetness throughout the Dakotas and Nebraska was particularly impactful, as heavy rains relieved drought conditions across these areas but caused flash flooding as well. As for the summer season, it was warm and dry across the majority of the High Plains with the exception of eastern parts of the region where summer temperatures were slightly below normal.

On August 21st, portions of the High Plains were treated to an extremely rare event - a total solar eclipse. This event drew an enormous amount of attention across the country, as total solar eclipses do not pass through the U.S. very often. Thousands of people traveled to the High Plains to witness this event, as the region was an attractive venue for viewing due to its low population and often clear skies. The path of totality passed through the heart of Wyoming and Nebraska, as well as extreme northeastern Kansas. Total solar eclipses impact the weather locally. The rapid decrease in solar radiation leads to a decrease in temperature, which in turn increases the relative humidity. Weather stations in the path of the eclipse captured these changes in the weather in the moments before, during, and after the eclipse. For instance, the air temperature decreased as much as 9.0 degrees F (5.0 degrees C) in the path of totality in western Wyoming. NOAA put together a website where you can learn more about how the eclipse impacted climate at the U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN) stations, which can be found here: http://www.atdd.noaa.gov/crn-eclipse/.

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