Weekly Update: October 5-11, 2026

Author: Page Nippert

Published:
Updated:

Temperature 

Temperatures were above normal throughout the region, with the highest temperatures reaching greater than 15°F above normal in northeastern Colorado, and scattered parts of eastern and southwestern Wyoming. The lowest temperatures reached 0°F to 3°F above normal in northcentral and eastern North Dakota. 

Departure from the 1990-2020 normal temperature for the week

 

Temperatures in northcentral Nebraska, southcentral South Dakota, eastern and northern Wyoming, and a small area in southwestern North Dakota reached greater than 20°F above normal. The hottest temperature was 87°F in Goodland, Kansas, which is 17°F above normal for the area. The lowest temperatures were 0°F to 4°F above normal in a tiny area in northcentral North Dakota. 

Departure from 1990-2020 normal average maximum temperature

 

Temperatures in scattered parts of eastern and western North Dakota reached 0°F to 3°F below normal. The coldest temperature was 37°F in Alamosa, Colorado, which is 9°F above normal for the area. The highest temperatures reached greater than 15°F above normal in scattered parts of northcentral and western Colorado. 

 Departure from 1990-2020 normal average minimum temperature

 

Precipitation 

Precipitation amounts varied in the region, ranging from less than 2 percent of normal in most of the eastern half of the region with some scattered areas in western Wyoming and Colorado as well, to 400 to 800 percent of normal in southcentral South Dakota. The Lake Sharpe Project in South Dakota received 2.5 inches of precipitation with most of it falling on the 9th. 

Percent of 1990-2020 normal precipitation in the High Plains region

 

Drought continues in the region. D0 (abnormally dry) conditions decreased from 83 percent to 77 percent. In the region, Kansas experienced the highest decrease in D0 conditions by 21 percent while North Dakota and Wyoming experienced no changes in D0 conditions. 

Map of the drought index in the High Plains Region