According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, November marked six months since severe (or worse) drought started to take its grip on South Central Nebraska. It also marked the seventh consecutive month of below normal precipitation across the majority of the 24-county area, as the summer and fall of 2012 continued notching its place in history as one of the worst droughts in many decades. Although damage to the primary 2012 crop season had already been done before the month began, November actually registered as the driest month since the drought's onset in terms of percent-of-normal precipitation. Throughout the month, all 24 counties remained under a federally-designated drought disaster, and according to weekly issuances of the U.S. Drought Monitor there was essentially no change whatsoever in drought classification. As a result, category D4 exceptional drought (the worst possible category) remained firmly in place across all or part of 15 counties, primarily those north of Interstate 80 and also west of Highway 183. Meanwhile, category D3 extreme drought persisted across most of the other nine counties, while only a small sliver of category D2 severe drought held on in southern Thayer County. Based on reports from around 50 NWS cooperative observers, and also incorporating radar-derived estimation, virtually the entire area measured below normal precipitation in November (per normals generally between 0.90-1.40). More significantly, at least one-third of the area measured less than one-tenth of normal November precipitation, including several counties primarily west of Highway 281 that hardly saw a drop of rain.  In fact, a few NWS cooperative observers measured zero precipitation for the month, including Kearney airport, Beaver City, Holdrege and Minden. On the comparatively more fortunate side of things, a roughly eight-county area near and east of Highway 281 received at least 0.25-1.00 during the month, nearly all of which fell during thunderstorms on the 10th. A few of the highest monthly totals within these eastern areas included 1.44 near Gresham, 1.25 near York and 1.20 near Shelby.
Over the longer range period from May through late November, most of South Central Nebraska only realized between 20-60 percent of normal precipitation. The northwest quadrant of the area was clearly the driest of the dry during this nearly six-month span, highlighted by Ord airport with merely 4.03, or 21% of the normal amount of 19.21. For the week ending November 18th, the Nebraska Weather and Crops Report from the USDA indicated that state-averaged topsoil moisture was at its lowest rating for that time of year since 1999, with 95% of the state classified as short to very short. Subsoil moisture was even worse at 99% short to very short. As a result, winter wheat emergence had been hindered as evidenced by thin and spotty stands. Forty percent of the wheat crop was reported to be in poor to very poor condition and only 17% in good condition, the poorest rating for the date since 1990. This was quite a contrast from one year ago in 2011, when 78% of the young crop rated good to excellent.

Drought in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor