ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗EĂƚĂůŝĞhŵƉŚůĞƩ;ŶƵŵƉŚůĞƩϮΛƵŶů͘ĞĚƵͿ Missouri River Basin Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| December 2013 

ǁǁǁ͘ĚƌŽƵŐŚƚ͘ŐŽǀͬĚƌŽƵŐŚƚͬĐŽŶƚĞŶƚͬƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐͬƌĞƉŽƌƚƐ

Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Missouri River Basin 

December 2013 

National - 6LJQLÀFDQW(YHQWVIRU6HSWHPEHU1RYHPEHU

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies Soil Moisture

Regional - &OLPDWH2YHUYLHZIRU6HSWHPEHU1RYHPEHU

Percent of Normal Precipitation (%)

September 1 - November 30, 2013

Departure from Normal Temperature (°F)

September 1 - November 30, 2013

Soil Moisture Anomaly

12/14/2013

September

October

Highlights for the Basin

It was a wet autumn for the Basin as many 

ƐƚĂƚĞƐƌĂŶŬĞĚŝŶƚŚĞƚŽƉρǁĞƩĞƐƚĂƵƚƵŵŶƐ

on record. These states included Colorado (2), 

Wyoming (2), North Dakota (2), and South 

ĂŬŽƚĂ;κͿ͘dŚĞďƵůŬŽĨƚŚĞƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶĐĂŵĞ

during September and October as November 

ďƌŽƵŐŚƚŶĞĂƌƚŽďĞůŽǁŶŽƌŵĂůƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶ͘

EdžƚƌĞŵĞůLJŚĞĂǀLJƌĂŝŶĨĂůůĂŶĚŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ

impacted the Front Range from September 

εͲϭρ͘WƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶƚŽƚĂůƐƚŽƉƉŝŶŐϭϬŝŶĐŚĞƐ

ǁĞƌĞĐŽŵŵŽŶ͘ŽƵůĚĞƌ͕KƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚε͘ϬΘ

ŝŶĐŚĞƐŝŶũƵƐƚŽŶĞĚĂLJ͕ƐĞƫŶŐŵĂŶLJƌĞĐŽƌĚƐ͘

An early-season blizzard hit the Dakotas, 

Wyoming, and Nebraska dumping up to 5 

ĨĞĞƚŽĨƐŶŽǁŝŶƐŽŵĞůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘>ĞĂĚ͕^ƐĞƚ

a new 1-day snowfall record for the month of 

KĐƚŽďĞƌǁŝƚŚκϮ͘ϬŝŶĐŚĞƐ͘ZĂƌĞĨŽƌKĐƚŽďĞƌ͕

this same system also caused 15 tornadoes - 2 

of which were rated EF-4. One hit Wayne, NE 

and injured 15. 

EǀĞŶǁŝƚŚĂŵŽŶƚŚůĞŌŝŶƚŚĞLJĞĂƌ͕ƐŽŵĞ

ůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐŝŶƚŚĞĂƐŝŶŚĂǀĞĂůƌĞĂĚLJƐĞƚŶĞǁ

ƌĞĐŽƌĚƐĨŽƌǁĞƩĞƐƚLJĞĂƌ͘džĂŵƉůĞƐŝŶĐůƵĚĞ

ŽƵůĚĞƌ͕KĂŶĚ>ĞĂĚ͕^͘

HĞĂǀLJƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶŽǀĞƌƚŚĞƉĂƐƚĨĞǁ

months has led to a recovery in soil moisture 

ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ͕ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůLJĂĐƌŽƐƐƚŚĞŶŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ

ƟĞƌŽĨƚŚĞĂƐŝŶ͘ƚƚŚŝƐƟŵĞŽĨƚŚĞLJĞĂƌ͕ŝƚ

is highly unlikely that the soils will dry out 

and will consequently retain their moisture 

throughout the winter. Drier soils were 

present further down the Basin in areas of 

western Iowa and northern Missouri. This 

ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌŵĂƉƐŚŽǁƐƚŚĞƚŽƚĂůĐŽůƵŵŶƐŽŝů

moisture anomaly in millimeters, from a NOAA 

ƐŽŝůŵŽŝƐƚƵƌĞŵŽĚĞůĐĂůůĞĚE>^͘

PƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶǁĂƐŐĞŶĞƌĂůůLJŶĞĂƌŽƌĂďŽǀĞ

normal this autumn. The highlights were 

ĚŽŵŝŶĂƚĞĚďLJƚǁŽŵĂũŽƌĞǀĞŶƚƐͲƚŚĞŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ

in September and the blizzard in October. 

dŚĞƐĞĞǀĞŶƚƐĐĂƵƐĞĚƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶƚŽƚĂůƐ

ƚŽƌĂŶŐĞĨƌŽŵϭρϬͲϯϬϬйŽĨŶŽƌŵĂůĨŽƌĂ

ůĂƌŐĞƉŽƌƟŽŶŽĨƚŚĞĂƐŝŶŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐŵƵĐŚŽĨ

Colorado, Wyoming, eastern and northern 

South Dakota, and southern North Dakota. 

>ŽĐĂůŝnjĞĚĂŵŽƵŶƚƐƚŽƉƉĞĚϯϬϬйŽĨŶŽƌŵĂů͘

ƌĞĂƐŵŝƐƐŝŶŐŽƵƚŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚƉŽƌƟŽŶƐŽĨĐĞŶƚƌĂů

Montana, eastern Kansas, and Missouri.

Overall, autumn temperatures were near 

normal across the Basin, but each month 

ǁĂƐĚŝƐƟŶĐƚ͘dŚĞƐĞĂƐŽŶƐƚĂƌƚĞĚŽīǁĂƌŵĂƐ

September temperature departures generally 

ƌĂŶŐĞĚĨƌŽŵϮ͘ϬͲς͘ϬĚĞŐƌĞĞƐĂďŽǀĞŶŽƌŵĂů͘

October was the opposite, with most of the 

Basin having below normal temperatures, 

especially in Wyoming, western South Dakota, 

and northern Nebraska where departures 

ǁĞƌĞƵƉƚŽρ͘ϬĚĞŐƌĞĞƐďĞůŽǁŶŽƌŵĂů͘&ŝŶĂůůLJ͕

November was warm in the west and cool in 

the north and east.

dŚĞĂǀĞƌĂŐĞh͘^͘ƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞĚƵƌŝŶŐEŽǀĞŵďĞƌǁĂƐκϭ͘ςΣ&͕Ϭ͘ϯΣ&ďĞůŽǁĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ͘dŚĞĂƵƚƵŵŶh͘^͘

ƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞǁĂƐρκ͘ϭΣ&͕Ϭ͘ρΣ&ĂďŽǀĞĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ͘EŽǀĞŵďĞƌh͘^͘ƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶǁĂƐϮ͘ϬϭŝŶĐŚĞƐ͕Ϭ͘ϭϭŝŶĐŚ

ďĞůŽǁĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ͘dŚĞĂƵƚƵŵŶƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶƚŽƚĂůǁĂƐϳ͘ϮϯŝŶĐŚĞƐ͕Ϭ͘ρϮŝŶĐŚĂďŽǀĞĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ͘
Regional - Impacts for September 2013 - November 2013

ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗EĂƚĂůŝĞhŵƉŚůĞƩ;ŶƵŵƉŚůĞƩϮΛƵŶů͘ĞĚƵͿ Missouri River Basin Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| December 2013 

ǁǁǁ͘ĚƌŽƵŐŚƚ͘ŐŽǀͬĚƌŽƵŐŚƚͬĐŽŶƚĞŶƚͬƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐͬƌĞƉŽƌƚƐ

Regional - Outlook for Winter 2013-2014 MO River Basin Partners

High Plains Regional Climate Center

www.hprcc.unl.edu

EĂƟŽŶĂůKĐĞĂŶŝĐĂŶĚƚŵŽƐƉŚĞƌŝĐĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟŽŶ

www.noaa.gov

EĂƟŽŶĂůtĞĂƚŚĞƌ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞͲĞŶƚƌĂůZĞŐŝŽŶ

www.crh.noaa.gov/crh

EĂƟŽŶĂůůŝŵĂƟĐĂƚĂĞŶƚĞƌ

www.ncdc.noaa.gov

DŝƐƐŽƵƌŝZŝǀĞƌĂƐŝŶ&ŽƌĞĐĂƐƚĞŶƚĞƌ

www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc

ůŝŵĂƚĞWƌĞĚŝĐƟŽŶĞŶƚĞƌ

www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

EĂƟŽŶĂůKƉĞƌĂƟŽŶĂů,LJĚƌŽůŽŐŝĐZĞŵŽƚĞ^ĞŶƐŝŶŐ

Center

www.nohrsc.noaa.gov

EĂƟŽŶĂůƌŽƵŐŚƚDŝƟŐĂƟŽŶĞŶƚĞƌ

ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬĚƌŽƵŐŚƚ͘ƵŶů͘ĞĚƵ

^ƚĂƚĞůŝŵĂƚŽůŽŐŝƐƚƐ

www.stateclimate.org

^ŽƵƚŚĂŬŽƚĂ^ƚĂƚĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJdžƚĞŶƐŝŽŶ

ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬŝŐƌŽǁ͘ŽƌŐ

EĂƟŽŶĂů/ŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚƌŽƵŐŚƚ/ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ

^LJƐƚĞŵ;E//^Ϳ

www.drought.gov

h^ƌŵLJŽƌƉƐŽĨŶŐŝŶĞĞƌƐͲDŝƐƐŽƵƌŝZŝǀĞƌĂƐŝŶ

tĂƚĞƌDĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚŝǀŝƐŝŽŶ

www.usace.army.mil

h͘^͘'ĞŽůŽŐŝĐĂů^ƵƌǀĞLJ͕tĂƚĞƌDŝƐƐŝŽŶƌĞĂ

ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ƵƐŐƐ͘ŐŽǀͬǁĂƚĞƌ

tĞƐƚĞƌŶ'ŽǀĞƌŶŽƌƐ͛ƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ

ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬǁĞƐƚŐŽǀ͘ŽƌŐ

:#regionalclimateoutlooks

3-Month Precipitation and 

Temperature Outlooks 

U.S. Seasonal Drought 

Outlook 

EE^K;ůEŝŹŽͬ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶKƐĐŝůůĂƟŽŶͿŶĞƵƚƌĂů

ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐǁĞƌĞƐƟůůƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂŶĚĂƌĞĨŽƌĞĐĂƐƚ

ƚŽĐŽŶƟŶƵĞŝŶƚŽϮϬϭκ͘ŶŚĂŶĐĞĚĐŚĂŶĐĞƐ

ĞdžŝƐƚĨŽƌďĞůŽǁŶŽƌŵĂůƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶŝŶ

western Colorado along with below normal 

ƚĞŵƉĞƌĂƚƵƌĞƐŝŶƉŽƌƟŽŶƐŽĨƚŚĞĂŬŽƚĂƐĂŶĚ

Montana. 

RĞĐĞŶƚŚĞĂǀLJƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶĂŶĚǁĞƚƐŽŝůƐ

may draw concerns about possible spring 

ŇŽŽĚŝŶŐŝŶƚŚĞĂƐŝŶ͘,ĞĂǀLJǁŝŶƚĞƌĂŶĚ

ƐƉƌŝŶŐƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶƚŚĂƚĐĂƵƐĞƐƉƌŝŶŐŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ

ŚĂǀĞŶŽƚŽĐĐƵƌƌĞĚ͖ƚŚĞƌĞĨŽƌĞ͕ĂƐƉƌŝŶŐŇŽŽĚ

ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶĚŽĞƐŶŽƚĞdžŝƐƚĂƚƚŚŝƐƟŵĞ͘ŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ

ǁŝůůĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƚŽďĞŵŽŶŝƚŽƌĞĚƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚƚŚĞ

winter and spring. 

DƌŽƵŐŚƚĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚŐƌĞĂƚůLJƚŚŝƐ

ĂƵƚƵŵŶ͘,ĞĂǀLJƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶĞůŝŵŝŶĂƚĞĚŽƌ

ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚĚƌŽƵŐŚƚĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐŝŶĞĂĐŚƐƚĂƚĞŝŶ

the Basin. Some standouts include a droughtfree status in the Dakotas, most of Colorado, 

and the majority of Wyoming. Although 

ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚŝŶĞĂƐƚĞƌŶŽůŽƌĂĚŽ͕

western Kansas, and west-central Nebraska, 

drought does remain in these areas. Since the 

winter is typically the driest part of the year 

ƚŚĞƌĞ͕ƚŚĞƐĞĚƌŽƵŐŚƚĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐĂƌĞĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ

ƚŽƉĞƌƐŝƐƚƚŚƌŽƵŐŚĂƚůĞĂƐƚDĂƌĐŚ͘ĚĚŝƟŽŶĂůůLJ͕

drought development is likely across western 

Colorado.

September Flooding in Colorado

TŚĞŝŵƉĂĐƚƐŽĨƚŚĞŵŝĚͲ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌŚĞĂǀLJƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶĂŶĚŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ

along the Front Range were numerous. Photos indicate that the 

landscape has been reshaped and the incredible amount of damage 

ƚŚĂƚƚŚĞŇŽŽĚŝŶŐĐĂƵƐĞĚǁŝůůƚĂŬĞŵŽŶƚŚƐƚŽLJĞĂƌƐƚŽƌĞƉĂŝƌ͘ƐŵĂŶLJ

ĂƐΘůŝǀĞƐǁĞƌĞůŽƐƚĂŶĚĚƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĞŇŽŽĚŝŶŐŽǀĞƌϭ͕ϬϬϬǁĞŶƚŵŝƐƐŝŶŐ͘

Roads and bridges washed away, homes and business were destroyed, 

ĂŶĚƐŽŵĞĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƟĞƐǁĞƌĞĐƵƚŽīĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞůLJ͘^ĐŚŽŽůƐ͕ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ͕

ĂŶĚĞǀĞŶZŽĐŬLJDŽƵŶƚĂŝŶEĂƟŽŶĂůWĂƌŬĐůŽƐĞĚĚƵĞƚŽƚŚĞĚĂŶŐĞƌŽƵƐ

ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ͘hůƟŵĂƚĞůLJ͕ĞǀĞŶůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐĨĂƌĂǁĂLJĨƌŽŵƚŚĞŝŶŝƟĂůŇŽŽĚŝŶŐ

ǁĞƌĞĂīĞĐƚĞĚĂƐƚŚĞŇŽŽĚǁĂƚĞƌƐƚƌĂǀĞůĞĚƚŚĞ^ŽƵƚŚWůĂƩĞ͘KŶĂƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ

ŶŽƚĞ͕ƚŚĞŚĞĂǀLJƉƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶĂůƐŽďƌŽƵŐŚƚĚƌŽƵŐŚƚƌĞůŝĞĨĂŶĚŚĞůƉĞĚ

ďŽŽƐƚƚŚĞǁĂƚĞƌƐƵƉƉůLJĚƵƌŝŶŐĂƟŵĞǁŚĞŶƌĞƐĞƌǀŽŝƌƐƚŽƌĂŐĞŝƐƵƐƵĂůůLJ

in decline.

(ŚƩƉ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ĐůŝŵĂƚĞ͘ŐŽǀͬŶĞǁƐͲĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐͬĞǀĞŶƚͲƚƌĂĐŬĞƌͬŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐͲƌĂŝŶĨĂůůͲĂŶĚͲ

ŇŽŽĚƐͲĐŽůŽƌĂĚŽ)

Valid for January - March 2014 Valid for 12/19/2013 - 03/31/2014

͗Equal chances of above, near or below normal

͗ Above normal, ͗ Below normal

Precipitation Temperature

ďŽǀĞ͗ĞƐƚƌŽLJĞĚƌŽĂĚŝŶŽƵůĚĞƌ͕KͲĐŽƵƌƚĞƐLJĂŝůLJĂŵĞƌĂ

Early October Blizzard

MĂŶLJĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚƐĞĐƚŽƌƐĂĐƌŽƐƐƚŚĞĂŬŽƚĂƐ͕tLJŽŵŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĚEĞďƌĂƐŬĂ

ǁĞƌĞŝŵƉĂĐƚĞĚďLJƚŚĞĮƌƐƚŵĂũŽƌƐŶŽǁƐƚŽƌŵŽĨƚŚĞƐĞĂƐŽŶ͘dŚĞŚĞĂǀLJ͕

ǁĞƚƐŶŽǁĨĞůůĚƵƌŝŶŐĂƟŵĞǁŚĞŶŵĂŶLJƚƌĞĞƐƐƟůůŚĂĚƚŚĞŝƌůĞĂǀĞƐǁŚŝĐŚ

resulted in major tree and limb damage as well as power outages. When 

ƚŚĞƐƚŽƌŵŚŝƚ͕ůŝǀĞƐƚŽĐŬǁĞƌĞƐƟůůŽƵƚŽŶŽƉĞŶƌĂŶŐĞǁŝƚŚůŝƩůĞƐŚĞůƚĞƌ

ĂŶĚŚĂĚŶŽƚŐƌŽǁŶƉƌŽƚĞĐƟǀĞǁŝŶƚĞƌĐŽĂƚƐLJĞƚ͘dŚĞĐŽŵďŝŶĂƟŽŶŽĨƌĂŝŶ͕

ƐŶŽǁ͕ĂŶĚŚŝŐŚǁŝŶĚƐĐĂƵƐĞĚĐĂƚĂƐƚƌŽƉŚŝĐĐĂƩůĞůŽƐƐĞƐͲ^ŽƵƚŚĂŬŽƚĂ

ĂůŽŶĞůŽƐƚĂƚůĞĂƐƚϮρ͕ϬϬϬĂŶŝŵĂůƐ͕ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐŵŽƌĞƚŚĂŶϮϭ͕ϬϬϬĐĂƩůĞ͕

ĂĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐƚŽƚŚĞ^ƚĂƚĞsĞƚĞƌŝŶĂƌŝĂŶ͘dŚĞƐƵŶŇŽǁĞƌĐƌŽƉŝŶEŽƌƚŚĂŬŽƚĂ

ǁĂƐĂůƐŽŚŝƚƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌůLJŚĂƌĚĂƐůŽƐƐĞƐŽĨϮϬͲεϬйǁĞƌĞƌĞƉŽƌƚĞĚŝŶ

ƐŽƵƚŚǁĞƐƚĞƌŶƉĂƌƚƐŽĨƚŚĞƐƚĂƚĞ͘WƌĞĐŝƉŝƚĂƟŽŶĨƌŽŵƚŚŝƐƐƚŽƌŵƵůƟŵĂƚĞůLJ

ĚĞůĂLJĞĚĐůĞĂŶͲƵƉĞīŽƌƚƐĂŶĚŚĂƌǀĞƐƚĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐĂƐƚŚĞĮĞůĚƐǁĞƌĞƚŽŽ

ǁĞƚ͘/ŶƚŚĞĞŶĚ͕ƚŚĞĚŝƌĞĐƚĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐůŽƐƐĞƐǁĞƌĞĞƐƟŵĂƚĞĚĂƚΨϯΘ

million in damage to both public and private property.

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