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May 2018 Climate Summary Now Available
Author: Crystal Stiles - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2018-06-08 14:23:47
Updated:
A Drastic Temperature Change
The cool temperatures experienced in April by eastern portions of the region were quickly forgotten in May, as a drastic warmup brought summerlike temperatures to the High Plains. Departures across the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Kansas ranged from 4.0-10.0 degrees F (2.2-5.6 degrees C) below normal in April to 4.0-10.0 degrees F (2.2-5.6 degrees C) above normal in May. The extremes were evident in locations such as Aberdeen, South Dakota, which went from having its 2nd coolest April to having its 3rd warmest May. This rapid change in temperatures impacted agriculture and livestock. For instance, warmer temperatures aided with crop progress after slow growth in April, but increased evaporative demand worsened winter wheat conditions in Colorado and Kansas where it has been dry since the fall. Additionally, oppressive heat and humidity in late May caused cattle deaths in South Dakota because the cattle were not yet acclimated to these conditions. Looking at temperatures for the spring season, Colorado was particularly warm, as departures were generally 2.0-4.0 degrees F (1.1-3.3 degrees C) above normal. Alamosa, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo each had a top 10 warmest spring on record.
As for precipitation, conditions varied across the region, as wetter areas included a swath from western Wyoming eastward into central Nebraska and Kansas, while the rest of the region was dry. Heavy rains improved drought conditions throughout a large part of Kansas and northeastern Colorado, while continued dryness caused drought to spread and intensify across portions of the Dakotas. A combination of snowmelt and heavy rains caused flooding in the Upper Missouri Basin, and a statewide flooding emergency was declared in Montana. Like May, spring precipitation varied throughout the High Plains, and records for wetness and dryness were both set. For instance, this spring was among the top 10 wettest for Scottsbluff, Nebraska and Akron, Colorado, while it was among the top 10 driest for Alamosa, Colorado; Pueblo, Colorado; Salina, Kansas; and Aberdeen, South Dakota.
For more information on temperature, precipitation, and impacts from climate in May in the High Plains region, please see the link to the full PDF of the summary: https://hprcc.unl.edu/climatesummaries.php
