During December, 20 of the 24 counties in South Central Nebraska were either completely or partially-included in Severe Drought (D2)-or-worse, per weekly issuances of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Of these 20 counties, 18 of them spent the entire month in either Severe (D2) or Extreme Drought (D3), while portions of western Merrick and far western Nance counties were added into the D2 mix starting on the 8th. Overall though, and not surprisingly given this was a winter month (and non-growing season), drought categories changed very little during December. However, the mainly status quo (and not worsening) drought situation could also be credited to some positive precipitation trends, as roughly two-thirds of the area received at least slightly above normal monthly totals (commonly 0.65-1.10) and roughly 80 percent of the area reported at least one-half inch (a respectable amount by December standards). In fact, for much of the western half of the area (generally west of Highway 281), December ended a four-month stretch of solidly below normal precipitation that had defined August-November.
Detailing specific drought categories during December (and going from worst to best): There was no change whatsoever in the areal coverage of D3, which continued to include all of Furnas/Gosper counties, along with adjacent portions of Dawson/Phelps/Harlan/far southwestern Buffalo (total of six affected counties). To the east-northeast of there, all-or-some of 14 counties (but especially those along/west of Highway 281) spent all-or-most of the month in D2. Meanwhile, the remaining four far-eastern local counties (along the Highway 81 corridor) largely maintained Moderate Drought (D1) status during December, although much of Thayer and far southeastern Fillmore/Nuckolls counties actually improved to Abnormally Dry (D0) early in the month (effectively reverting back to what was assigned there in late-October). Per several dozen NWS cooperative observers/official stations, a few of the overall-highest December precipitation totals within South Central Nebraska featured: 1.51 at Osceola, 1.30 three miles northeast of Shelby and 1.20 at Grand Island (Central Nebraska Regional Airport). In contrast, a few of the lowest (and below normal) tallies included: 0.26 at Harlan County Lake, 0.29 in Red Cloud and 0.29 in Franklin. Temperature-wise, although certainly not as big of a drought-factor as it would have been during the growing season, December was the second-straight warmer-than-average month, with most local stations averaging around 5 degrees F above normal.

Drought in VALLEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GREELEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SHERMAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HOWARD, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HALL, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HAMILTON, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in KEARNEY, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in ADAMS, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in CLAY, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FRANKLIN, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in WEBSTER, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in NUCKOLLS, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-DEC-20 00:00:00 to 31-DEC-20 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor