According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, July 2013 marked the 14th consecutive month of D1 Moderate (or worse) drought within South Central Nebraska, continuing one of the most notable droughts since the 1950s. Unfortunately, the majority of the 24-county area endured its second consecutive month of below normal rainfall, with several southwestern counties such as Harlan and Phelps recording their third-consecutive predominantly dry month. On a positive note, the below normal July rainfall in most areas was accompanied by monthly temperatures averaging slightly cooler than normal...in sharp contrast to the notably hot and dry July 2012 one year ago that put considerable stress on crops. Despite the drier-than-normal trend over the past few months, there was essentially no change whatsoever in official drought classification according to the U.S. Drought Monitor over the course of July. As a result, most counties along and east of the Highway 281 corridor remained in D1 Moderate Drought, although pockets of D2 Severe Drought prevailed across much of Greeley, Howard, Webster and Nuckolls counties. The situation remained worse to the west of Highway 281, where nearly all areas were assigned either D2 Severe or D3 Extreme Drought, with the main concentration of D3 within Gosper, Phelps, Furnas, Harlan and Franklin counties. In addition, southwestern Furnas County remained in D4 Exceptional Drought (the worst-possible category). According to reports from around 50 NWS cooperative observers, and also incorporating radar-derived estimation, over 90% of the 30-county area tallied below normal July rainfall (based on normals generally between 3.30-4.10 inches). More significantly, at least 40% of the area received less than half of normal July rainfall. The greatest concentration of totals under 2 focused along a roughly 30-mile wide swath through the heart of the area, generally extending from around Elwood and Holdrege in the west, eastward through the Grand Island/Hastings areas, and then northeast toward Aurora and Osceola. The very limited areas of slightly above normal rainfall were most-concentrated in Valley, Sherman and Nuckolls counties. Per NWS cooperative observers, several of the lowest July precipitation totals featured 0.63 six miles south-southeast of Lexington (Canaday Steam Plant), 0.91 eight miles south of Elwood, 1.21 four miles north of Aurora, 1.25 six miles north-northwest of Oxford and 1.28 at Minden. Grand Island and Hastings tied for their 25th and 29th-driest months of July on record, respectively, out of 118 years. Within the limited above normal areas were sites such as Nelson (5.28) and Ord airport (3.59). In between these wettest and driest extremes, the majority of South Central Nebraska measured July rainfall between 1.50-3.00, including stations in or near York, Hastings, Grand Island, Gothenburg, Franklin, Kearney, Hebron and Fullerton.
Focusing on the longer-range picture of year-to-date precipitation (January 1-July 24), most of the 24-county area stood somewhere between 70-100% of normal. In general, the greatest concentration of 90% of normal or higher focused north of Interstate 80, including 122% of normal at Genoa 2W. In contrast, the greatest coverage of locations with 70% of normal or less focused southwest of a line from Elwood-Red Cloud, including just 59% of normal at Red Cloud. According to the USDA Nebraska Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending July 21st, state-averaged topsoil moisture supplies were again on the decline, rating 70% short to very short and only 30% adequate...a marked change from only 27% short to very short in early June. Statewide subsoil moisture also declined, rating 75% short to very short, up from 58% six weeks prior. Crop-wise, irrigated corn across the state rated 82% good to excellent, while dryland corn only rated 45% good to excellent with the poorest conditions focused in the local South Central counties. Soybeans across the state rated 63% good to excellent, while wheat was not as favorable at 50% poor to very poor and only 17% good to excellent. Stock water supplies across Nebraska averaged 25% short to very short, an 11% degradation since early June. Pasture and range conditions exhibited fairly little change over that time span, checking in 39% poor to very poor.

Drought in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FILLMORE, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MERRICK, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in NANCE, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in POLK, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in THAYER, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in YORK, NEBRASKA
From 01-JUL-13 00:00:00 to 31-JUL-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor