Contact: Natalie Umphlett (numphlett2@unl.edu) Missouri River Basin Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| June 2015 

 www.drought.gov/drought/content/resources/reports

Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Missouri River Basin 

June 2015 

National - Significant Events for March - May 2015

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies Drought Conditions

Regional - Climate Overview for March - May 2015

Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)

May 2015

Departure from Normal Temperature (°F)

March 1 - May 31, 2015

U.S. Drought Monitor Class Change

1 Month

Highlights for the Basin

March was warm and dry across the Basin with 

several states ranking in the top ten warmest and 

driest. For instance, South Dakota was 2nd driest 

and 7th warmest, while Nebraska was 2nd driest 

and 8th warmest. May, on the other hand, was 

extremely wet with many states ranking in the 

top 10 wettest Mays, such as Colorado (wettest), 

Kansas (2nd), Wyoming and South Dakota (5th), 

Nebraska (8th), and North Dakota (10th). 

The extreme shift from dry to wet conditions this 

spring was illustrated well by South Dakota which 

had its driest start to the year (Jan-Apr), but then 

went on to have its 5th wettest May on record.

Many interesting temperature records were set 

during March. Locations in central Nebraska and 

western South Dakota set records for highest 

March temperature. Additionally, some stations 

from Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas 

recorded their earliest 80°F day, while others in 

Nebraska had their earliest 90°F day.

Numerous locations had their wettest May on 

record including Colorado Springs, CO, Lincoln, NE, 

and Fargo, ND. Rapid City, SD had its snowiest.

Drought conditions improved drastically 

across the entire plains region during the 

month of May. Areas of Texas, Oklahoma, 

Kansas, and Colorado, which had been 

experiencing drought for several years, are 

now largely drought free. Drought conditions 

that developed in the Dakotas over the winter 

and spring improved as well. According to 

the U.S. Drought Monitor authors, this four 

week period was the second largest decline in 

areal drought coverage since the U.S. Drought 

Monitor started in 1999.

There was a dramatic shift from dry to wet 

conditions this spring for much of the Missouri 

River Basin area. Early in the season, drought 

conditions were developing and worsening, 

however, a number of low pressure systems 

brought several heavy rain events to the 

region in May. This resulted in widespread 

precipitation totals that ranged from 200-400 

percent of normal. The heavy precipitation 

broke numerous records, improved drought 

conditions, and caused flooding in both urban 

and rural areas. 

The spring started off quite warm, with a 

large portion of the region having monthly 

temperature departures in excess of 6°F 

above normal in March. The warm weather 

continued during April, although temperature 

departures were not as extreme. May, on the 

other hand, was a complete reversal. With 

ridging in the eastern U.S., the Missouri River 

Basin states were cooler during the month of 

May with below normal temperatures across 

the Basin. The result was a spring which was, 

overall, above normal across the region.

The average U.S. temperature during May was 60.8°F, 0.6°F above average. The spring U.S. 

temperature was 53.2°F, 2.2°F above average. May U.S. precipitation was 4.63 inches, 1.45 inches 

above average and the wettest month of any month on record. The spring precipitation total was 9.33 

inches, 1.39 inches above average.

Please Note: Material provided in this map was compiled from NOAA’s State of the Climate Reports. 

For more information please visit: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc
Regional - Impacts for March - May 2015

Contact: Natalie Umphlett (numphlett2@unl.edu) Missouri River Basin Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| June 2015

 www.drought.gov/drought/content/resources/reports

Regional - Outlook for July - September 2015 MO River Basin Partners

:#regionalclimateoutlooks

Bureau of Reclamation

www.usbr.gov

High Plains Regional Climate Center

www.hprcc.unl.edu

Kansas State, Department of Agronomy

www.agronomy.k-state.edu

National Drought Mitigation Center

www.drought.unl.edu

National Integrated Drought Information System

www.drought.gov

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Weather Service - Central Region

www.crh.noaa.gov/crh

National Centers for Environmental Information

www.ncdc.noaa.gov

Missouri River Basin Forecast Center

www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc

Climate Prediction Center

www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center

www.nohrsc.noaa.gov

South Dakota State University Extension

http://igrow.org

State Climatologists

www.stateclimate.org

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Missouri River Basin 

Water Management Division

www.usace.army.mil

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

www.nrcs.usda.gov

NRCS National Water & Climate Center

www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov

Regional Climate Hubs

www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/regional_hubs.htm

U.S. Geological Survey, Water Mission Area

www.usgs.gov/water

Western Governors’ Association

www.westgov.org

3-Month Precipitation and Temperature Outlooks

According to the Climate Prediction Center, El Niño conditions continued this spring and are 

expected to continue and strengthen through the end of the year. El Niño impacts are most 

notable in the winter, and so the strength of the El Niño at the end of the year could help 

determine any impacts to the region.

Over the next three months, outlooks indicate increased chances for above normal 

temperatures for northern parts of the region and increased chances for below normal 

temperatures in lower parts of the basin. Meanwhile, the precipitation outlook shows increased 

chances for above normal precipitation for the majority of the region. While above normal 

precipitation may remove lingering drought conditions, it could also increase chances of flooding.

The excessive moisture from May could have residual impacts throughout the summer. 

Evaporation from the surface and transpiration from plants will raise relative humidities. With 

an increase in relative humidities, maximum temperatures should be slightly lower. However, 

even with lower temperatures, higher humidities may create muggy conditions and higher heat 

indices. Another impact that people may already be experiencing is an increase in mosquito 

activity. 

Valid for July - September 2015

Above: (Left) Flooding over a rural road in southeast Nebraska in early May, courtesy NRCS; (Center) stripe rust on winter wheat in south-central South Dakota, 

courtesy SDSU Extension; and (Right) flood damage in Lusk, WY in early June, courtesy Rapid City Journal.

EC: Equal chances of above, near or below normal, A: Above normal, B: Below normal

Precipitation Temperature

Water Supplies Recovering

Missouri River Basin snowpack peaked much below average this spring 

and, prior to the heavy May precipitation, reduced service along the 

lower Missouri River was likely. However, precipitation and subsequent 

runoff during May should allow for a full navigation season this year.

Reservoirs across the region are filling due to the heavy precipitation. 

For example, high flows in the South Platte River will allow Lake 

McConaughy to fill by the end of June.

Agriculture Impacts

A combination of conditions this spring has impacted producers both positively and negatively. While dry conditions allowed producers in North 

Dakota and South Dakota to rapidly plant crops, wet conditions have made fields too wet to tend or completely submerged others. Untimely freezes 

in May also damaged crops, such as sugarbeets and canola in North Dakota.

Insect and disease issues have arisen due to the heavy May precipitation, especially in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Leaf rust, stripe rust, 

and head scab have been reported in the wheat crops there. Additionally, the application of agricultural chemicals have either been delayed or lost.

Heavy Rains Cause Flooding

Storms during the evening and overnight hours of May 6-7 brought 

extremely heavy rainfall to southeast Nebraska, including the capital 

city of Lincoln. Anywhere from 6-10 inches fell in approximately 8-10 

hours and caused extensive flooding. Numerous roads were closed 

and some residents in Lancaster, Saline, and Jefferson Counties were 

evacuated from the rising floodwaters. Although there was damage 

from the flooding, the NRCS estimates that over $3 million in damages 

were prevented by flood control structures.