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High Plains Weekly Drought Update - December 20, 2018
Author: Crystal Stiles - High Plains Regional Climate Center
Published: 2018-12-20 17:16:10
Updated:
The past week was characterized by warmer and drier than normal conditions throughout most of the High Plains. Slight expansions of abnormally dry conditions (D0) were made on this week's U.S. Drought Monitor map to areas of extreme southern Kansas, where 30-60 day precipitation deficits increased and high winds increased evaporative demand. Precipitation deficits also prompted a small expansion of D0 in southeastern Wyoming near Laramie. Otherwise, drought conditions changed very little in the region during the past week.
The warm and dry conditions experienced during the past week caused a slight decrease in Rocky Mountain snowpack. However, statewide, Wyoming and Colorado mountain snowpack were still faring well, with statewide Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) hovering just above normal in Wyoming and slightly below normal in Colorado. Unfortunately, the area that was faring worst was southwestern Colorado, which has been in drought during the past year.
The Climate Prediction Center's 6-10 day outlook is calling for below-normal temperatures in the western High Plains, including Wyoming, Colorado, and western portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Meanwhile, above-normal tmeperatures are expected in the eastern High Plains, particularly across central and southern areas of Kansas and Nebraska, as well as eastern South Dakota. Above-normal precipitation is likely across the entire High Plains region during this period. The National Weather Service's Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) indicates an increased likelihood that most of the region will receive precipitation in the next 7 days, with the highest amounts expected in eastern South Dakota and central portions of Nebraska and Kansas.
*NOTE: UNL will be shut down for winter break from December 24-January 1 so there will be no drought update on December 27th. For drought information, please go directly to the U.S. Drought Monitor's website at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu. Weekly drought updates will resume on Thursday, January 3rd. Happy Holidays!
