Drought in Nebraska, May 1 to 31, 2025

Name: Drought in Nebraska, May 1 to 31, 2025
Start: 2025-05-01T00:00
End: 2025-05-31T23:59
Location: Nebraska

May 1 to 31, 2025 · NWS OAX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought conditions continued across portions of eastern Nebraska through the month of May. Precipitation totals for the month were up to approximately three inches below average.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS OAX wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 Omaha, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 30, 5:43 PM CST, 6 hours 17 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

There will be additional rounds of mainly light rainfall moving through the area this evening/tonight. Can not rule out a few weak embedded thunderstorms, but shouldn't be anything severe. Primary focus for precipitation will continue to be the Lincoln to Omaha corridor, to along the Missouri River and eventually into western Iowa.
Rain showers and a few weak thunderstorms could linger along the eastward progressing trough axis Thursday morning with a few additional heat of the day/instability showers/thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, but less widespread than today.
Highs mainly in the 60s through Friday and then 70s this weekend into next week.
The weekend appears dry. Precipitation chances then return late Monday through Wednesday with much uncertainty surrounding how the next significant upper low will track out of the western U.S.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 5:43 PM CST, 6 hours 17 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
Issued by National Weather Service Hastings NE
643 PM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- There will be additional rounds of mainly light rainfall
  moving through the area this evening/tonight. Can not rule out
  a few weak embedded thunderstorms, but shouldn't be anything
  severe. Primary focus for precipitation will continue to be the
  Lincoln to Omaha corridor, to along the Missouri River and
  eventually into western Iowa.

- Rain showers and a few weak thunderstorms could linger along
  the eastward progressing trough axis Thursday morning with a
  few additional heat of the day/instability
  showers/thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, but less widespread
  than today.

- Highs mainly in the 60s through Friday and then 70s this
  weekend into next week.

- The weekend appears dry. Precipitation chances then return
  late Monday through Wednesday with much uncertainty
  surrounding how the next significant upper low will track out
  of the western U.S.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 235 PM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

This Evening Through Tonight...
As of 3 PM, a second round of light rain showers was tracking
northeast out of northern Kansas and was just getting into the
Lincoln area. Showers and even a few isolated weak thunderstorms
will continue to develop across this same area and gradually
work back into the Omaha metro area as we head through the
evening hours. Most areas will see less than 0.25 inches of
additional rainfall this evening/tonight, but a few of the
higher amounts could be around 0.50 inches of additional
rainfall. That is on top of the rainfall we've already seen
through early this afternoon, which ranged from around 0.50 -
1.00 inch southwest of Lincoln. Rainfall amounts in the Omaha
area through 3 PM have generally been much lighter and less
than 0.25 inches.

The main area of rain should shift east with time, closer to the
Missouri River by late evening and as we close in on midnight,
with most of the rain over western Iowa during the late night
hours. Not everyone will get wet, our northwestern zones may see
very little if any rainfall through tonight. Thunderstorms
currently developing over Cherry County Nebraska at 3 PM will
track east, but should weaken and generally fall apart as they
approach our forecast area late this evening. Severe weather is
not anticipated across any of our area through tonight.

Fog...
Can not rule out some patchy fog late tonight and through
a few hours after sunrise as the surface winds go light within
the trough axis or during lulls in the rainfall just ahead of
the trough axis. The SREF and different HRRR runs indicate at
least a slight signal for fog.

Thursday and Friday (Continued Rain Chances)...
We may continue to see some lingering showers/weak thunderstorms
Thursday morning until the trough passes through the area.
Favored areas Thursday morning will be eastern zones (western
Iowa). Also watch out for patchy morning fog as was mentioned
earlier. There is then a slight chance that with some afternoon
diurnal heating we could see a few convective showers or weak
thunderstorms from late Thursday afternoon through early
evening. This possible scenario is well visualized by the 18Z
HRRR. This would likely be rather isolated, but NBM POPs are not
well reflecting this and are too low. We may need to increase
POPs further.

The next upper level wave will push through Thursday night into
Friday, especially Friday morning bringing additional scattered
showers. Our NBM POPs (30%) may again be too low on this and we
may possibly need to increase these rain chances. Temperatures
will remain cool Thursday and Friday with the scattered clouds
and rain chances keeping highs generally in the 60s.

Saturday and Sunday (Dry and Warmer)...
We will have one upper trough tracking from the Mississippi
River to the Ohio Valley, with another significant trough
digging into the western U.S. this weekend. Right between these
two system you have our forecast area that will be under a big
upper level ridge bringing dry weather with warmer highs back
into the 70s.

Monday - Wednesday...
The western trough will become a big cut off upper level low
over the 4 Corners region of the desert southwest. Forecast
models and ensembles vary on how exactly this system will
actually eject out into the plains regarding both timing and
strength. Monday will likely still be dry, but then Tuesday and
Wednesday are more uncertain. This appears to be a great high
plains rain maker, but then the upper low will likely weaken
some as it finally makes it east towards our area with rain
chances across the eastern half of Nebraska into western Iowa
much more uncertain. This will be a system to keep an eye on as
we get closer. There is also more spread in the model
temperatures during this time, warmer 70s if the clouds and the
rain hold off, cooler 60s if the clouds and rain can eventually
push east into our area.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 640 PM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

Off/on rain showers remain in the OMA/LNK areas through this
evening and tonight. This activity will initially remain
southeast of OFK, but the line of showers/storms over north-
central Nebraska will eventually reach the OFK area (weakening
as it arrives).

Ceilings are somewhat uncertain. VFR to MVFR ceilings currently
are expected to fall (possibly to IFR) overnight before
improving after a cold front moves through Thursday morning.

Spotty fog is also possible Thursday morning, but confidence in
coverage/location was too low to include in this TAF issuance.

Northwest winds pick up on Thursday in the post-frontal airmass.
Gusts up to 25kts are likely, especially at OFK.

&&

.OAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...None.
IA...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...Wesely
AVIATION...Mangels

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 10:19 AM CST, 13 hours 41 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE
Issued by National Weather Service Hastings NE
1119 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034-
042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-010630-
Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-
Page-Knox-Cedar-Thurston-Antelope-Pierce-Wayne-Boone-Madison-
Stanton-Cuming-Burt-Platte-Colfax-Dodge-Washington-Butler-
Saunders-Douglas-Sarpy-Seward-Lancaster-Cass-Otoe-Saline-
Jefferson-Gage-Johnson-Nemaha-Pawnee-Richardson-
1119 AM CDT Wed Apr 30 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest
Iowa...west central Iowa...east central Nebraska...northeast
Nebraska and southeast Nebraska.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed this afternoon or tonight.

Wesely

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Knox

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 42.637, -97.892 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

D2 (severe) drought continued across the southwest portion of the county through May, with a narrow sliver of D3 (extreme) drought conditions along the southwestern county border. The cooperative observers at Crofton, Orchard 9NNE and Verdel 6SSE recorded 4.01, 5.24, and 4.65 inches of precipitation for the month, respectively. These values were 0.16, 1.44, and 0.85 inches above average.

Drought, Antelope

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Antelope forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 42.177, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

D3 (extreme) drought conditions were introduced to a majority of the county at the beginning of the month and continued through the remainder of the month. The cooperative observer at Oakdale recorded 2.43 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 1.59 inches below average.

Drought, Boone

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Boone forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 41.707, -98.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

D2 (severe) drought conditions persisted across the majority of the state with a narrow region of D3 (extreme) drought in the northern portion of the county. The cooperative observers at Albion and Loretto recorded 3.60 and 3.47 inches of precipitation for the month, respectively. These values were 0.51 and 0.77 inches below average.

Drought, Pierce

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 42.264, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At the beginning of the month, D3 (extreme) drought conditions were introduced across the extreme western portion of the county with a D2 (severe) drought in place across the western half of the county. Through the month, the area of D2 drought expanded to nearly the rest of the county. The cooperative observer at Pierce recorded 2.0 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 1.78 inches below average.

Drought, Madison

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 41.917, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At the beginning of the month, D3 (extreme) drought conditions were introduced across the extreme western portion of the county with a D2 (severe) drought in place across the western half of the county. The Norfolk Airport ASOS recorded 1.98 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 1.91 inches below average.

Drought, Platte

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Platte forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 41.571, -97.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

D2 (severe) drought conditions persisted across the western half of the county through the month. The cooperative observer at Columbus 3 NE recorded 4.51 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 0.06 inches above average.

Drought, Butler

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Butler forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 41.226, -97.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Toward the middle of the month, a D2 (severe) drought was introduced across the western portion of the county. Through the remainder of the month, conditions improved enough to trim back the D2 drought to the southwest corner of the county. The cooperative observer at Surprise recorded 3.74 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 1.00 inches below average.

Drought, Seward

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Seward forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 40.872, -97.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Toward the middle of the month, a D2 (severe) drought was introduced across the majority of Seward county. Through the remainder of the month, conditions improved enough to trim back the D2 drought to the northwest corner of the county. The cooperative observer at Seward recorded 3.37 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 1.37 inches below average.

Drought, Lancaster

When: May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 40.784, -96.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Toward the middle of the month, a D2 (severe) drought was introduced into a majority of Lancaster county. Through the remainder of the month, conditions improved enough to remove the D2 drought from the county. The cooperative observer at Crete 4ESE recorded 2.88 inches of precipitation for the month. This value was 2.61 inches below average.

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, May 2025

Sources

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: 1254367, 1254369, 1254371, 1254374, 1254376, 1254377, 1254379, 1254380, 1254383.