Contact: Doug Kluck (doug.kluck@noaa.gov)

Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Central Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook | December 2013 

www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt/community/reports

Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)

9/1/2013–11/30/2013

U.S. Drought Monitor

12/17/2013

Departure from Normal Temperature (° F)

9/1/2013–11/30/2013

Regional - Climate Overview for September 2013–November 2013

Central Region

December 2013

National - 6LJQLÀFDQW(YHQWVIRU6HSWHPEHU21RYHPEHU

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies Drought in Central Region

Highlights for the 

Central Region

Much of the Colorado Front Range received a year’s 

worth of rain in one week in September. For the 

ƉĞƌŝŽĚ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌεʹϭκ͕ŵĂŶLJůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚ

more than 10 inches of rain and as much as 20 

ŝŶĐŚĞƐ͘dŚĞƚŽƌƌĞŶƟĂůƌĂŝŶĐĂƵƐĞĚĞdžƚĞŶƐŝǀĞŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ͘

An early October blizzard in the Northern Plains 

dumped one to three feet of snow on the Black Hills 

in South Dakota. The snow was accompanied by 

ǁŝŶĚƐŐƵƐƟŶŐĨƌŽŵρϬƚŽϳϬŵŝůĞƐƉĞƌŚŽƵƌ͘>ĞĂĚ͕

South Dakota, set a new record one-day snowfall for 

KĐƚŽďĞƌŽĨκϮ͘ϬŝŶĐŚĞƐ͕ǁŝƚŚĂƐƚŽƌŵƚŽƚĂůŽĨρρ͘Ϭ

inches of snow. This same storm produced two to 

ƐŝdžŝŶĐŚĞƐŽĨƌĂŝŶĂĐƌŽƐƐƐŽƵƚŚĞĂƐƚDŝŶŶĞƐŽƚĂĂŶĚ

northeastern Iowa. 

OŶEŽǀĞŵďĞƌϭϳ͕ƚŚĞĨŽƵƌƚŚůĂƌŐĞƐƚEŽǀĞŵďĞƌ

tornado outbreak on record for the United States 

ŽĐĐƵƌƌĞĚǁŝƚŚϳϮƚŽƌŶĂĚŽĞƐŝŶƐĞǀĞŶƐƚĂƚĞƐŝŶƚŚĞ

Midwest. Illinois and Indiana were the hardest hit 

states. The outbreak resulted in two EF-4 tornadoes, 

both in Illinois, and seven EF-3 tornadoes. 

MŽŝƐƚƵƌĞĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐŐƌĂĚƵĂůůLJŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ

during the fall. The biggest improvements 

were in western Kansas and southwestern 

ŽůŽƌĂĚŽ͕ĂůƚŚŽƵŐŚƚŚĞƌĞĂƌĞƐƟůůĂĨĞǁƉŽĐŬĞƚƐ

ŽĨdžƚƌĞŵĞƚŽdžĐĞƉƟŽŶĂůĚƌŽƵŐŚƚ͘

PƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶǁĂƐŵƵĐŚĂďŽǀĞŶŽƌŵĂůŝŶƚŚĞ

ǁĞƐƚĞƌŶƚŚŝƌĚŽĨƚŚĞƌĞŐŝŽŶ͕ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌůLJĨƌŽŵ

Colorado and Wyoming north through the 

Dakotas. This was largely the result of a very 

wet September in the central Rockies and a 

wet October in the Northern Plains. At the end 

ŽĨEŽǀĞŵďĞƌĂŶƵŵďĞƌŽĨůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐŝŶ^ŽƵƚŚ

Dakota and North Dakota had already set new 

ĂŶŶƵĂůƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶƌĞĐŽƌĚƐďLJƐĞǀĞƌĂůŝŶĐŚĞƐ͘

WƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶǁĂƐŶĞĂƌƚŽďĞůŽǁŶŽƌŵĂůŝŶƚŚĞ

eastern two-thirds of the region, although 

ƉŽƌƟŽŶƐŽĨƚŚĞ'ƌĞĂƚ>ĂŬĞƐĂŶĚKŚŝŽsĂůůĞLJ

ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚĂďŽǀĞŶŽƌŵĂůƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶ͘

Temperatures were generally near normal in 

the eastern two-thirds of the region and from 

1°F to 2°F below normal in the eastern third. 

However, the month to month variability was 

ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚƚŚŝƐƐĞĂƐŽŶ͘dĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞƐĚƵƌŝŶŐ

September were above normal across the 

ĞŶƟƌĞƌĞŐŝŽŶ͕ĂƐŵƵĐŚĂƐςΣ&ĂďŽǀĞŶŽƌŵĂůŝŶ

the northern Plains. October was 2°F to 4°F 

below normal in the west and near normal in 

the east, while November was near normal 

in the west and much cooler than normal in 

the east. 
Contact: Doug Kluck (doug.kluck@noaa.gov)

#regionalclimateoutlooks

Central Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook | December 2013 

www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt/community/reports

Regional Outlook - for Winter 2013

Regional Impacts for September 2013–November 2013

Central Region Partners

Agriculture

AƚůĞĂƐƚϮρ͕ϬϬϬĂŶŝŵĂůƐ͕ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶϮϭ͕ϬϬϬĐĂƩůĞ͕

perished in the October blizzard in South Dakota. The storm 

ĂůƐŽĐĂƵƐĞĚƐƵŶŇŽǁĞƌƐĞĞĚůŽƐƐƌĂŶŐŝŶŐĨƌŽŵϮϬƚŽεϬ

ƉĞƌĐĞŶƚŝŶƐŽƵƚŚǁĞƐƚĞƌŶEŽƌƚŚĂŬŽƚĂ͘KĸĐŝĂůƐŝŶĚŝĐĂƚĞĂ

ƉƌĞůŝŵŝŶĂƌLJĞƐƟŵĂƚĞŽĨŶĞĂƌůLJΨϯΘŵŝůůŝŽŶŝŶĚĂŵĂŐĞƐƚŽƉƵďůŝĐ

ŝŶĨƌĂƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞĂŶĚƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJŽĨƉƌŝǀĂƚĞ͕ŶŽŶͲƉƌŽĮƚĞŶƟƟĞƐ͘

AǁĞƚKĐƚŽďĞƌ͕ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌůLJŝŶƚŚĞŶŽƌƚŚĞƌŶDŝĚǁĞƐƚĂŶĚKŚŝŽ

sĂůůĞLJ͕ƐůŽǁĞĚĐŽƌŶĂŶĚƐŽLJďĞĂŶŚĂƌǀĞƐƚ͕ďƵƚĂůĂƚĞĮƌƐƚĨƌĞĞnjĞ

in much of the region was favorable for late-maturing crops 

ĂŶĚƚŚĞĐŽŵƉůĞƟŽŶŽĨŵŽƐƚŽĨƚŚĞŚĂƌǀĞƐƚŝŶĞĂƌůLJEŽǀĞŵďĞƌ͘

Environment and Infrastructure

TŚĞ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌŇŽŽĚŝŶŐŝŶŽůŽƌĂĚŽĚĞƐƚƌŽLJĞĚŚŝŐŚǁĂLJƐ͕ĚĂŵĂŐĞĚĚĂŵƐ͕ŝƐŽůĂƚĞĚ

ĞŶƟƌĞĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƟĞƐ͕ĂŶĚĐĂƵƐĞĚΘĨĂƚĂůŝƟĞƐ͘WƌĞůŝŵŝŶĂƌLJĞƐƟŵĂƚĞƐƉƵƚƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ

ůŽƐƐĞƐĂƚΨϮďŝůůŝŽŶ͘

OŶĞƌŝƐŬŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚĮƌŵĞƐƟŵĂƚĞƐƚŚĂƚƚŚĞEŽǀĞŵďĞƌƚŽƌŶĂĚŽŽƵƚďƌĞĂŬĐŽƵůĚ

ƌĞƐƵůƚŝŶŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶΨϭďŝůůŝŽŶŝŶůŽƐƐĞƐ͕ŵĂŬŝŶŐŝƚƚŚĞĐŽƐƚůŝĞƐƚEŽǀĞŵďĞƌĚŝƐĂƐƚĞƌŝŶ

ϮρLJĞĂƌƐ͘dŚĞƚŽƌŶĂĚŽĞƐƌĞƐƵůƚĞĚŝŶƐŝdžĨĂƚĂůŝƟĞƐ͕ĂůůŝŶ/ůůŝŶŽŝƐ͘

The latest Drought Outlook indicates that there 

ŝƐůŝƩůĞĐŚĂŶŐĞĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚŝŶĚƌŽƵŐŚƚƐƚĂƚƵƐĂĐƌŽƐƐ

the region during the winter months. Drought 

ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐĂƌĞĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚƚŽĚĞǀĞůŽƉŝŶǁĞƐƚĞƌŶ

ŽůŽƌĂĚŽ͕ǁŚŝůĞǁŝŶƚĞƌƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶŝƐĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚƚŽ

eliminate drought from eastern Missouri through 

central Illinois. Winter is climatologically the driest 

season of the year in much of the central U.S., so 

ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚĂďŽǀĞͲŶŽƌŵĂůƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶƚŚĞƌĞŝƐůŝƩůĞ

ůŝŬĞůŝŚŽŽĚŽĨŵĂŬŝŶŐƵƉƚŚĞĐƵƌƌĞŶƚĚĞĮĐŝƚƐ͘ůEŝŹŽ

^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶKƐĐŝůůĂƟŽŶ;E^KͿŶĞƵƚƌĂůĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ

ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJĞdžŝƐƚĂŶĚĂƌĞĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚƚŽƉĞƌƐŝƐƚƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ

ƐƵŵŵĞƌϮϬϭκ͘dLJƉŝĐĂůůLJ͕ĂƚŵŽƐƉŚĞƌŝĐƉĂƩĞƌŶƐ

ĚƵƌŝŶŐE^KŶĞƵƚƌĂůĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐĂƌĞŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞĚďLJ

ŽƚŚĞƌƐŚŽƌƚĞƌƟŵĞƐĐĂůĞĐůŝŵĂƚĞƉĂƩĞƌŶƐƐƵĐŚĂƐ

ƚŚĞEŽƌƚŚƚůĂŶƟĐKƐĐŝůůĂƟŽŶ;EKͿĂŶĚƚŚĞƌĐƟĐ

KƐĐŝůůĂƟŽŶ;KͿ͘

SŽŝůŵŽŝƐƚƵƌĞĚĞĮĐŝƚƐĂƌĞŚŝŐŚĞƐƚŝŶƚŚĞĐĞŶƚƌĂů

Midwest. Without normal to above normal winter 

ƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶ͕ƚŚĞƐĞĚĞĮĐŝƚƐĂƌĞůŝŬĞůLJƚŽĐĂƌƌLJŝŶƚŽ

the spring and will have impacts on agriculture. If 

ƚŚŝƐŝƐƚŚĞĐĂƐĞ͕ƚŚĞŶĂĚĞƋƵĂƚĞƐƉƌŝŶŐƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶ

will be needed to provide enough moisture for spring 

ƉůĂŶƟŶŐĂŶĚĐƌŽƉĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͘/ŶƚŚĞĂŬŽƚĂƐ͕

ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞƐŽŝůŵŽŝƐƚƵƌĞĂŶŽŵĂůŝĞƐƌĂŝƐĞĐŽŶĐĞƌŶĨŽƌ

ƉŽƐƐŝďůĞƐƉƌŝŶŐŇŽŽĚŝŶŐŝŶƐŽŵĞƌŝǀĞƌďĂƐŝŶƐ͘,ŝŐŚ

ƐŽŝůŵŽŝƐƚƵƌĞůĞǀĞůƐŝŶƚŚĞƐŽƵƚŚĞƌŶZĞĚZŝǀĞƌsĂůůĞLJ

ƌĂŝƐĞĐŽŶĐĞƌŶĨŽƌƐƉƌŝŶŐŇŽŽĚŝŶŐŽĨƚŚĞZĞĚZŝǀĞƌ

ŽĨƚŚĞEŽƌƚŚ͘tŚĞŶĨĂůůŝƐƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚůLJǁĞƩĞƌƚŚĂŶ

ŶŽƌŵĂůŝƚƵƐƵĂůůLJƉƌĞĐĞĚĞƐŵĂũŽƌŇŽŽĚŝŶŐŝŶ&ĂƌŐŽ͕

ĂŶĚ&ĂƌŐŽĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚŝƚƐĨŽƵƌƚŚǁĞƩĞƐƚĨĂůůŽŶ

ƌĞĐŽƌĚƚŚŝƐLJĞĂƌ͘ƚƚŚĞĞŶĚŽĨEŽǀĞŵďĞƌŇŽǁŝŶƚŚĞ

Red River at Fargo was well-above normal. 

Total Column Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm) 

Valid December 6, 2013

Climate Science Program, Iowa State 

University

climate.engineering.iastate.edu

High Plains Regional Climate Center

www.hprcc.unl.edu

Midwestern Regional Climate Center

mrcc.isws.illinois.edu

Missouri Basin River Forecast Center

www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc

EĂƟŽŶĂůůŝŵĂƟĐĂƚĂĞŶƚĞƌ

www.ncdc.noaa.gov

EĂƟŽŶĂůƌŽƵŐŚƚDŝƟŐĂƟŽŶĞŶƚĞƌ

drought.unl.edu

EĂƟŽŶĂů/ŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚƌŽƵŐŚƚ/ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ

System

www.drought.gov

EĂƟŽŶĂůtĞĂƚŚĞƌ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞĞŶƚƌĂůZĞŐŝŽŶ

www.crh.noaa.gov/crh

North Central River Forecast Center

www.crh.noaa.gov/ncrfc

Et^ůŝŵĂƚĞWƌĞĚŝĐƟŽŶĞŶƚĞƌ

www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

South Dakota State University and SDSU 

Extension

www.igrow.org

State Climatologists

www.stateclimate.org

tĂƚĞƌ^DZdůĞĂƌŝŶŐŚŽƵƐĞ͕h͘^͘ĞƉƚ͘ŽĨ

Interior

www.doi.gov/watersmart/html/index.php

tĞƐƚĞƌŶ'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌƐ͛ƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ

westgov.org

U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook

Drought Tendency During the Period

Valid for 12/19/2013–03/31/2014

Released 12/19/2013

Little Change in Drought Conditions Expected Over Winter