A couple of potent weather systems brought decent precipitation to western and north central Nebraska in December. Rain and snow was reported with a system on December 13th with a second system bringing precipitation to the region December 29th.
Every event with a place to put it; 27 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS LBF wrote it up.
A couple of potent weather systems brought decent precipitation to western and north central Nebraska in December. Rain and snow was reported with a system on December 13th with a second system bringing precipitation to the region December 29th. Valentine reported 2.22 inches of precipitation for the month which was their all time record wettest December on record. Precipitation totals across most of western and north central Nebraska were between an inch and two inches for the month. Locations in the far southwestern Panhandle and eastern Nebraska Panhandle, reported between a quarter and around a half an inch for the month. Drought conditions improved the most in the northwestern Sandhills and portions of north central Nebraska.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS North Platte, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 30, 10:55 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service North Platte NE 1055 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 ...06Z AVIATION UPDATE... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 249 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 KEY MESSAGES... - Temperatures warming up Thursday. - Strong winds possible Friday into Friday evening behind a cold frontal passage - Falling afternoon temperatures expected Friday behind the cold front - A slight chance for light snow Friday across the far northwest Sandhills _ Still monitoring the potential for light snow Monday into Tuesday && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday night) Issued at 249 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 For tonight, surface high pressure will move east into the Midwest, with a brisk return of southerly winds 10 to 20 mph. Lows reach the mid teens to lower 20s. Wind chills as low as the low single digits. A transitory upper level ridge will move across the region Thursday as an upper trough moves from the Pacific Northwest into portions of the Great Basin. A warm front will lift into central SD bringing warm air advection and much warmer temperatures. Kept highs near previous forecast from the upper 40s to lower 50s, as existing snow cover affects highs. The upper trough will cross the Rockies Thursday night, driving as cold front southward through northeast WY and northwest SD. Lows not as cold ranging in the 20s. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) Issued at 249 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 By Friday, the upper trough will begin moving into the Northern and Central Plains. A cold front will move quickly southeast through the forecast area. Models are now faster with the cold front passage, which will result in mid morning highs across the northwest Sandhills and noon to early afternoon highs across the southeast. Highs from the upper 30s northwest to near 50 southwest may be optimistic, as falling afternoon temperatures occur. Will see strong winds behind the front late Friday afternoon and evening. The GFS bufkit sounding shows H80 winds near 50 kts, supportive of wind gusts to around 40 mph possible. Colder Saturday as the upper trough and cold front move east through the Great Lakes and Midwest. Highs from 35 to 45 with a breezy southwest wind in the afternoon. Warming up Sunday with nearly zonal flow aloft. Highs Sunday warming to the low 40s to lower 50s. An upper trough will deepen across the Great Basin Sunday night with a large area of deep low pressure across Canada, centered over Hudson Bay. The main upper trough over Canada will drop southward as a disturbance from the Central Rockies crosses the region Monday into Tuesday. The current forecast is dry, however there is a low potential for light snow we will continue to monitor. A cold front early Monday to bring colder temperatures. Highs by next Tuesday only forecast to reach the mid 20s northeast to near 40 far southwest. Moderating temperatures to follow next Wednesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) Issued at 1050 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 VFR conditions will continue through the forecast period. Gusty surface winds at VTN will linger through early Thursday morning. Wind shear will also be prevalent at both terminals until just prior to sunrise. Only passing high clouds above 20k feet AGL are expected. && .LBF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...Roberg SHORT TERM...Roberg LONG TERM...Roberg AVIATION...NMJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service North Platte NE 251 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 NEZ004>010-022>029-035>038-056>059-069>071-094-012100- Sheridan-Eastern Cherry-Keya Paha-Boyd-Brown-Rock-Holt-Garden-Grant- Hooker-Thomas-Blaine-Loup-Garfield-Wheeler-Arthur-McPherson-Logan- Custer-Deuel-Keith-Perkins-Lincoln-Chase-Hayes-Frontier- Western Cherry- 251 PM CST Wed Nov 30 2022 /151 PM MST Wed Nov 30 2022/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central Nebraska. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Strong gusty winds are possible behind a cold front Friday afternoon into the evening. Wind gust as strong as 40 mph possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
27 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions remained unchanged across Boyd County in December. The cooperative observer at Lynch reported 1.58 inches of precipitation for the month.
Drought conditions remained unchanged across Holt County in December. Most of the county was experiencing severe (D3) drought. In southeastern Holt County, exceptional (D4) drought was occurring. The cooperative observer at Atkinson 3SW reported 1.43 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.87 inches above the normal of 0.56 inches. The cooperative observer at O'Neill reported 1.52 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.81 inches above the normal of 0.71 inches.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across far southwestern Wheeler County through the end of December. Across the remainder of the county, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Bartlett 1W reported 0.88 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.05 inches above the normal of 0.83 inches.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted over southern portions of Garfield County through the end of December. Across the remainder of Garfield county, extreme (D3) drought conditions continued through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Ericson 8WNW reported 1.09 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.40 inches above the normal of 0.69 inches. The cooperative observer at Burwell reported 0.34 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.37 inches below the normal of 0.71 inches.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over the eastern three quarters of Keya Paha County through the end of December. Drought conditions improved from extreme (D3) drought to severe (D2) drought over the western quarter of the county by the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Springview 2NW reported 2.36 inches of precipitation in December. This was 2.00 inches above the normal of 0.36 inches.
Across the southern 2/3rds of Rock County, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of December. Over the northern third of Rock County, exceptional (D4) drought conditions continued through the end of the month.
Across far northwestern and far southeastern Brown County, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of December. Across the remainder of the county, exceptional (D4) drought conditions continued through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Ainsworth reported 1.36 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.79 inches above the normal of 0.57 inches. The cooperative observer at Elsmere 9ENE reported 1.56 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.85 inches above the normal of 0.71 inches.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over all of Loup County through the end of December.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of December. The cooperative observer at Purdum reported 0.95 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.30 inches above the normal of 0.65 inches.
Across far southern Custer County, severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the end of December. Over the remainder of Custer County, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. At the Broken Bow Airport, 1.04 inches of precipitation was reported for December. This was 0.67 inches above the normal of 0.37 inches. The cooperative observer at Callaway 8WSW reported 1.05 inches of precipitation in December. The cooperative observer at Anselmo 2WSW reported 0.76 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.08 inches above the normal of 0.68 inches.
Over far southeastern Cherry County, exceptional (D4) and extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of December. Over northeastern Cherry county, extreme (D3) drought conditions improved to severe (D2) drought conditions by the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Valentine Lakes NWR reported 1.24 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.98 inches above the normal of 0.26 inches. At the Valentine airport, 2.22 inches of precipitation fell in December. This was 1.79 inches above the normal of 0.43 inches.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over all of Thomas County through the end of December.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted across all of Logan County through the end of December. The cooperative observer at Stapleton 5W reported 0.90 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.22 inches above the normal of 0.68 inches.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over all of McPherson county through the end of December.
Exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted from west central and southwestern Lincoln County into central and south central portions of the county in December. Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over far northern portions of Lincoln County through the end of the month. Over the eastern quarter of Lincoln County extreme (D3) drought conditions continued through the end of the month with the exception of a small area of severe (D2) drought conditions over far northeastern Lincoln County. The cooperative observer at Wallace 2W reported 1.80 inches of precipitation in December. This was 1.31 inches above the normal of 0.49 inches. The cooperative observer at Hershey 5SSE reported 1.35 inches of precipitation for the month. This was 1.06 inches above the normal of 0.29 inches. At the North Platte Airport, 1.40 inches of precipitation fell. This was 0.95 inches above the normal of 0.45 inches. The cooperative observer at Brady reported 1.28 inches of precipitation for December.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted over far eastern portions of Frontier County in December. Over central portions of the county, extreme (D3) drought conditions were present. Over the western third of the county, exceptional (D4) drought conditions were present. The cooperative observer at Curtis reported 1.40 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.91 inches above the normal of 0.49 inches. The cooperative observer at Eustis 2NW reported 1.53 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.82 inches above the normal of 0.71 inches.
Exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted through the end of December over all of Hayes County. The cooperative observer at Hayes Center reported 1.59 inches of precipitation in December. This was 1.11 inches above the normal of 0.48 inches.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted over south central, southwestern, central and north central portions of Cherry county in December. Across far western Cherry county, moderate (D1) drought conditions persisted. Across a small portion of northwestern Cherry county, extreme (D3) drought conditions improved to severe (D2) drought conditions by the end of the month.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over most of Hooker County through the end of December. Over far northwestern portions of the county, severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted across most of Grant County through the end of December. Across southeastern portions of Grant County, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions remained unchanged over northwestern portions of Arthur County through the end of December. Over the remainder of the county, extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Arthur recorded 0.74 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.41 inches above the normal of 0.33 inches.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over the northern third of Keith County through the end of December. Over the southern 2/3rds of the county, exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Kingsley Dam reported 0.74 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.33 inches above the normal of 0.41 inches. The cooperative observer at Ogallala reported 0.29 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.11 inches below the normal of 0.40 inches.
Exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted over all of Perkins County through the end of December.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over the southwestern half of Chase county in December. Over the northeastern half of the county, exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Imperial reported 1.78 inches of precipitation for December. This was 1.39 inches above the normal of 0.39 inches. At the Imperial airport, 1.71 inches of precipitation fell. This was 1.48 inches above the normal of 0.23 inches.
Drought conditions improved from exceptional (D4) drought to extreme (D3) drought over central portions of Deuel county in December. Exceptional (D4) drought conditions persisted over far eastern Deuel county through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Chappell reported 1.27 inches of precipitation for December.
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted over the northern half of Garden County in December. Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted over the southern half of the county through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Crescent Lakes NWR reported 0.76 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.38 inches above the normal of 0.38 inches. The cooperative observer at Oshkosh reported 0.86 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.50 inches above the normal of 0.36 inches. The cooperative observer at Oshkosh 8SW reported 0.97 inches of precipitation in December. This was 0.51 inches above the normal of 0.46 inches. The cooperative observer at Oshkosh 10NE reported 1.00 inches of precipitation for December.
Across far northern Sheridan county, severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate (D1) drought conditions by the end of December. For the remainder of the county, moderate (D1) drought conditions persisted through the end of the month. The cooperative observer at Gordon 6N reported 1.52 inches of precipitation in December. This was 1.02 inches above the normal of 0.50 inches. The cooperative observer at Ellsworth 2W reported 0.60 inches of precipitation for December. This was 0.30 inches above the normal of 0.30 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Nebraska in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Nebraska, December 2022
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1072920, 1072921, 1072923, 1072924, 1072927, 1072933, 1072938, 1072940, 1072998, 1073002, 1073037, 1073063, 1073374, 1073375, 1073383, 1073395, 1073397, 1073052, 1073064, 1073065, 1073376, 1073377, 1073378, 1073400, 1073402, 1073403, 1073404.