December 2025 Climate Summary

Regional Breakdown

December was the opposite of what you’d expect from the High Plains. Instead of the cold and snow, much of the region dealt with warm and windy conditions. Precipitation was also limited, with a large swath of the region recording below 0.50 inches (1.27 cm) this month.

The winds were pesky all month, but the stretch from the 17th through the 19th was particularly gusty throughout the region. On the 17th, winds surpassed 100 mph (161 km/h) in multiple states. Mount Coffin in western Wyoming had an exceptionally strong gust reach 144 mph (232 km/h), while a station between Farson and Lander clocked in at 123 mph (198 km/h). Across the Front Range of Colorado, preventative power cuts and schools were closed after winds were as high as 109 mph (175 km/h) near Boulder. Up north that evening into the 18th, winds reached 101 mph (163 km/h) in Rapid City, South Dakota. Just a day later, on the 19th, another round of strong winds impacted the Front Range of Colorado once again, with winds reaching 112 mph (180 km/h). During this period of unusually strong winds, power outages were widespread, numerous vehicles were flipped along the interstates, and countless damages to property were reported.

Those wishing for a white Christmas this year were severely disappointed, with highs reaching 83 degrees F (28.3 degrees C) in Kansas. The only state not to have a station record its warmest Christmas was North Dakota, while a total of 275 locations throughout the rest of the region breaking their records. Putting it into perspective, the average high on the 25th in Miami, Florida is 77 degrees F (25 degrees C), while parts of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska were as warm or warmer than the average high in Miami on Christmas.

Temperature and Precipitation Overview

Above: Departure from 1991-2020 normal temperature (left) and percent of normal precipitation (right) for December 2025 in the High Plains region. Maps
produced by the High Plains Regional Climate Center and are available at: http://hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current .

Precipitation

Outside of a few isolated areas in the western half of the region, precipitation was scarce in the High Plains. The majority of Kansas and Nebraska were below 0.10 inches (2.54 mm), with dozens of stations reporting trace to zero amounts. In Wyoming, things were the exact opposite, with areas around Yellowstone reporting over 10 inches (25.4 cm) of precipitation.

Precipitation was noticeably absent across Kansas and into Nebraska this month, with only a single station between the two states observing over an inch (2.54 cm) of precipitation. In Kansas, notable long-term locations such as El Dorado, Cimarron, and Greensburg reported no precipitation to either observe their driest December or tie the record. Others, such as Wichita, ranked second lowest with 0.02 inches (0.51 mm) of precipitation. Other locations, including Salina, Atwood, Emporia, Coffeyville, Dodge City, and Hays  reported 0.05 inches (1.27 mm) or less. Across the border in Nebraska, things were just as poor. North Platte, Ravenna, and Ogallala all reported trace amounts this month to tie with multiple years for driest December.

While much of the region dealt with dryness, the lone exception was northwestern Wyoming, and particularly the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park areas. Over a dozen SNOTEL stations in the area recorded over 8 inches (20.32 cm) of precipitation in December. Leading the way was Lewis Lake Divide, which observed 14.90 inches (37.85 cm) to record its second-wettest December and fourth-wettest month overall. Not far away, Evening Star reported 14.20 inches (36.07 cm), which was the second wettest December and month overall, falling just short of 14.60 inches (37.08 cm) that fell in December of 1996. While their total precipitation amounts were not as impressive, a total of eight stations in the area recorded their wettest December.  

Regional Precipitation

Above: Total precipitation in inches (left) and departure from normal precipitation in inches (right) for December 2025. These maps are produced by
HPRCC and can be found on the Current Climate Summary Maps page at: http://hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current.

Temperatures

Outside of North Dakota and northeastern South Dakota, the region continued its warm streak. The hotspot this month was once again in western Wyoming, with some areas over 15 degrees F (8.3 degrees C) above normal. In total, an impressive 291 stations in the region recorded their warmest December.

Leading the way with the greatest number of stations recording their warmest December was Colorado, with a total of 169 stations breaking their record. Notably, Akron shattered its previous record by over 4 degrees F (2.2 degrees C) with an average temperature of 41.1 degrees F (5.1 degrees C) this month. Alamosa also broke its record, while Colorado Springs tied with 1933 for the warmest. Denver and Grand Junction ranked second warmest, while Pueblo came in third. Interestingly, of the 169 locations breaking their record this month, with 68 were SNOTEL stations found in the higher elevations of the mountains.

To the north in Wyoming, aided by temperature departures of nearly 17 degrees F (9.4 degrees C), 92 stations recorded their warmest December. The area with the highest departures was centered in the Riverton and Shoshoni area. Not that far away from the epicenter, both Casper and Lander observed their warmest December, while to the south, Rawlins also broke its record. Cheyenne tied 1933 for the warmest, while along the northern part of the state, Sheridan ranked fifth.

Other locations that were record-setting were mostly limited to areas bordering these states. In Nebraska, Scottsbluff, Chadron, Ogallala, and Kearney broke their monthly records, while McCook, North Platte, and Valentine ranked the top five. To the south in Kansas, Goodland and Atwood ranked warmest, while Dodge City placed fifth. Up in South Dakota, Rapid City tied with 1957 for the record, with an average temperature of 34.9 degrees F (1.6 degrees C).

Drought Conditions

With the arrival of wintertime, drought conditions typically don’t dramatically change, and this month is an example of that. Several small areas experienced two category changes, but for the most part, it was limited to one category change. Overall, the percentage of the region in D0 to D4 (abnormally dry to exceptional drought conditions) increased by just over 8 percent.

Wyoming experienced both ends of the drought spectrum this month. In the west, the extreme wetness in the northwestern half of the state improved conditions up to two categories in Lincoln and Park counties. In the southeastern corner, areas just north of Cheyenne and Laramie went from drought-free to D1 (moderate drought) in just a few short weeks.

Drought conditions in Nebraska had slowly improved over the summer and into the early part of fall; however, December represented a step backwards. The percentage of the state in D0 increased sharply, with over 91 percent of the state engulfed. D1 also expanded greatly, covering nearly 40 percent of the state at the end of the month. A small area of D2 (severe drought), primarily over Morill, also expanded slightly. Elsewhere in the region, both improvements and degradation were observed. According to the Climate Prediction Center’s U.S. Monthly Drought Outlook for January, drought is likely to improve or be removed in western Wyoming.

U.S. Drought Monitor	Drought Monitor 1-Month Change

The U.S. Drought Monitor is produced as a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Drought Mitigation Center, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For current Drought Monitor information, please see: http://
droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.

Climate Outlooks

According to the Climate Prediction Center, a La Niña Advisory is present.  For more information, visit: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/enso_evo-
lution-status-fcsts-web.pdf

The National Weather Service’s long-range flood outlook indicates minimal chances of flooding through the end of February. According to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), fire potential will be elevated along the Rockies in Colorado in January, and in eastern Colorado and Kansas in February and March.  

The seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks presented below combine the effects of long-term trends, soil moisture, and, when applicable, the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle (ENSO). To learn more about these outlooks, please visit http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov.

Temperature

The three-month temperature outlook shows an increased chance of above-normal temperatures across the southern United States, while below-normal temperatures are favored across the northern portions. In the High Plains, warmer temperatures are favored in western Colorado, while cooler temperatures are possible in the Dakotas.

Precipitation

The precipitation outlook for the next three months indicates above-normal precipitation in the northern half of the country and the Great Lakes, while below-normal precipitation is favored for the southern United States. Above-normal precipitation is favored for the Dakotas and Wyoming, while below normal is possible in southern Colorado.

Drought

The U.S Seasonal Drought Outlook released on December 31st indicates drought will likely improve in western Wyoming, while its development is possible in southern Colorado.