July 2011 will be remembered for the heat across South Central Nebraska, with nearly the entire area averaging 3-4 degrees above 30-year normals when factoring in both the daily highs and lows. The overall hottest 10-11 day stretch of the month centered from the 14th through the 24th, as an expansive upper level high pressure ridge became dominant over the Central Plains. During this time frame, daily high temperatures were well into the 90s to near 100, with locations such as Hastings reaching at least 96 degrees six times. Factoring in high humidity, with dewpoints well into the 70s most days, afternoon heat index values across the 24-county area climbed to around 105 degrees on several afternoons, and topped out closer to 110 or higher in eastern counties such as York, Fillmore, Thayer and Nuckolls.
For most areas, the four most oppressive days of all focused from Sunday the 17th through Wednesday the 20th, as the center of the upper high parked itself directly over Nebraska and Kansas with 500 millibar heights maxing out around 6000 meters. On the 18th, Hastings Utilities came close to breaking a daily record for peak electricity usage with 98.5 megawatts. Although the heat put a strain on area crops, including corn entering the pollination stage, significant agricultural impacts were minimized as most of South Central Nebraska received near-to-above-normal precipitation for the month.
Taking a closer look at temperature trends for the month as a whole, the main driving force behind above-normal daily temperatures were the overnight lows, as opposed to the afternoon highs. Although the highs checked in a few degrees above normal, the lows averaged a solid 3-6 degrees above normal across much of the area. Low temperatures for the month were among the Top-6 warmest on record at Grand Island, Hastings and Kearney, and the warmest since at least 1955. In Hastings, the low temperature was 70 degrees or higher on 18 days of the month (the 30-year normal July daily low is 66.4).

Heat in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Excessive Heat in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 24-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Excessive Heat in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 24-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Excessive Heat in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 24-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Excessive Heat in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 24-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Heat in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Heat in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 15-JUL-11 12:00:00 to 23-JUL-11 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS