Friday’s Rain Halting Nebraska’s Drought, For Now, Weather Service Says

Friday’s heavy rainfall throughout parts of the state may have a short-term delay on the drought in Nebraska, according to the National Weather Service.

Heading into Friday, western and northeast Nebraska were abnormally dry. Some areas were classified as "moderate" or even "severe" drought, according to Nebraska state climatologist Martha Shulski. Van DeWald, lead meteorologist for Omaha’s branch of the National Weather Service, said, although it’s hard to predict, there’s a chance this summer will be warmer and drier than normal.

“Oftentimes, in the summer, we’ll get plentiful rains, but sometimes we don’t," he said. "So, [it's] almost impossible to predict that, but I guess if I would have to put something out there, I would say, chances are that the drought will probably continue and to maybe even get worse through the rest of the summer.”

Friday’s rainfall totaled from 0.75 inches in some areas to more than 2 inches in other places around the state, as of 11 a.m., according the National Weather Service. DeWald said Friday’s rain showers will help substantially with drought areas, but the weather through next week is expected to be hot and dry.