Temperature
This week featured above normal temperatures for the entire region. The warmest regions were southeastern Kansas, eastern North Dakota, scattered spots of eastern and central South Dakota, and northeastern Nebraska reaching temperatures 9°F to 12°F above normal. Temperatures in southcentral Colorado reached 0°F to 3°F above normal.
This week featured above maximum normal temperatures for the entire region. The warmest regions were southeast Kansas, central and western North Dakota, central and western South Dakota, and northern Nebraska reaching temperatures 12°F to 16°F above normal. The warmest temperature was 82°F in Chanute, Kansas which is 13°F above normal for the area Temperatures in southcentral and western Colorado reached 0°F to 4°F above normal.
The warmest regions were eastern North Dakota, eastern and central South Dakota, eastern and central Nebraska, southern and western Kansas, eastern Colorado, and scattered spots in Wyoming reaching temperatures 6°F to 8°F above normal with some areas reaching 8°F to 11°F above normal. Temperatures in western North Dakota and along the Wyoming-South Dakota-Nebraska border along with scattered spots throughout Wyoming reached 0°F to 2°F below normal with some areas reaching 2°F to 4°F below normal. The coldest temperature was 26°F in Alamosa, Colorado which is 5°F above normal for the area.
Precipitation
Precipitation amounts varied in the region from 800% of normal in southeastern Colorado to 2% of normal in most of South Dakota, southern North Dakota, western and central Wyoming, and northern Nebraska. Clay Center, Nebraska received 1.85 inches of precipitation, which is well above 0.06 inch normal; all of this fell on the 22nd. Drought continues in the region. D0 (abnormally dry) conditions decreased from 88% to 86%. In the region, Colorado experienced the highest decrease in D0 conditions by 15 percent while North Dakota experienced the highest increase in D0 conditions by 10 percent.
Events
According to the USDA NASS, 93 percent of topsoil and 92 percent of subsoil in Wyoming was rated as short to very short. In Nebraska, 57 percent of pasture and range was rated poor to very poor. Throughout the region, corn harvest was well ahead of schedule. Major wildfires in North Dakota burned an estimated 25,000 acres since the beginning of the month causing a statewide emergency and several evacuations. The Elk Fire in Wyoming has burned 98,000 acres and is at 82% containment as wetter weather conditions have slowed fire growth.