Although drought conditions across most of South Central Nebraska had already eased a bit in recent weeks after peaking in intensity between Oct. 2020-Jan. 2021, copious March rainfall was just what the doctor ordered to either completely eradicate or at least greatly improve the drought situation area-wide. In fact, the majority of long-time NWS cooperative observer and airport stations notched a Top-2 wettest March on record, either eclipsing or falling slightly short of existing monthly marks mainly from 1987 (more on that below).
The month opened with at least portions of the following six western counties assigned either Severe (D2) or Extreme (D3) Drought by the U.S. Drought Monitor: Furnas, Gosper, Phelps, Dawson, Buffalo and Harlan (the majority of D3 concentrated in Furnas/Gosper). Thus March marked the eighth-consecutive month with at least D2 assigned to some portion of South Central Nebraska (since D2 was first introduced to portions of Kearney/Adams counties in Aug. 2020). Outside the aforementioned six worst-off counties, the remainder of the 24-county area began March in a mix of Moderate Drought (D1) and Abnormally Dry (D0). These categories held firm through the first, dry few weeks of the month. However, things changed big-time between the 13th-23rd as two weather systems each dumped widespread soaking rains. The first of these systems (centered on the 13th-14th) was the main event with amounts commonly 2-6 inches. The second system (mainly the 22nd-23rd) tacked on an additional 1-3, prompting impressive (and in several cases record-breaking)  monthly totals of 4-9...or generally 200-500 percent of normal. Unfortunately, the higher-end monthly tallies of 6+ largely targeted counties along/east of the Highway 281 corridor instead of the overall-driest far western counties. Nonetheless, the abundant March rain was more than enough to prompt one to three category drought improvements area-wide, effectively slamming the door on all but lower-end, lingering issues. By month's end, roughly 80 percent of the 24-county area was completely void of all drought categories (including D0). Meanwhile, the majority of the early-month D2-D3 in far western counties improved to a mix of D0-D1, with any D1 confined solely to western Gosper, southwestern Dawson and northwestern Furnas counties. On an additional positive note, despite the markedly-wet month there was a pronounced lack of flooding within South Central Nebraska (both river and areal), owing to a nearly ideal combination of factors: predominantly light to moderate rain rates falling onto unfrozen ground and thus easily infiltrating dry soils. Per several dozen NWS cooperative observers, a few of the highest March rain totals featured: 9.02 three miles north of York, 8.93 in Osceola and 8.65 at Central Nebraska Regional Airport (Grand Island). On the lower end of the spectrum (but still well above normal) were stations farther west such as: Gothenburg (4.14), Ord airport (4.55) and Elwood 8S (4.75). Along with various other long-term sites, all three official Tri Cities airport gauges washed away their former March records from 1987 with the following amounts: 8.65 at Grand Island, 8.16 in Hastings and 7.55 at Kearney.

Drought in DAWSON, NEBRASKA
From 01-MAR-21 00:00:00 to 23-MAR-21 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in GOSPER, NEBRASKA
From 01-MAR-21 00:00:00 to 23-MAR-21 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in FURNAS, NEBRASKA
From 01-MAR-21 00:00:00 to 23-MAR-21 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in BUFFALO, NEBRASKA
From 01-MAR-21 00:00:00 to 16-MAR-21 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHELPS, NEBRASKA
From 01-MAR-21 00:00:00 to 16-MAR-21 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in HARLAN, NEBRASKA
From 01-MAR-21 00:00:00 to 16-MAR-21 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor