Kearney and Hastings both broke October precipitation records.
Grand Island experienced the 2nd wettest October on record.
There were no less than nine locations in south central Nebraska and north central Kansas which measured over 7" of precipitation for the month.
Aurora received 7.18" of rain. This is two years in a row Aurora measured over 7" of rain in October. Last year, a record 8.62" of rain was measured. In fact, three of wettest Octobers on record have occurred in the last seven years at Aurora.
In several cases, 2008 surpassed records dating back to 1897. Many, though not all, October precipitation records were set in 1897, 1946 or 2002. The following table provides a list of preliminary October 2008 precipitation data as compared to the all-time records. The data is considered preliminary until being quality controlled by the National Climatic Data Center. Though not "official" data yet, the data does provide an early look at just how October 2008 shaped up precipitation-wise.
City | 2008 Precipitation | 2008 Rank |
Record October Precipitation |
Year Records Began |
Minden, NE | 11.64" | 1st | 7.34" in 1897 | 1893 |
Kearney, NE | 9.36" | 1st | 6.30" in 1946 | 1894 |
Smith Center, KS | 8.53" | 1st | 5.54" in 1959 | 1910 |
Clay Center | 8.52" | 1st | 5.47" in 2002 | 1971 |
Franklin, NE | 8.42" | 1st | 5.42" in 2002 | 1990 |
Holdrege | 8.25" | 1st | 6.81 in 1946 | 1894 |
Beaver City, NE | 7.62" | Tied 1st | 7.62" in 1946 | 1893 |
York, NE | 7.31" | 1st | 6.02" in 1928 | 1893 |
6 NNW Oxford, NE | 7.27" | 1st | 4.22" in 1997 | 1993 |
Aurora, NE | 7.18" | 2nd | 8.62" in 2007 | 1902 |
Alton, KS | 7.05" | 1st | 4.26" in 1986 | 1902 |
4 N St. Paul, NE | 6.86" | 1st | 5.46" in 2007 | 1895 |
Wilsonville, NE | 6.81" | 1st | 6.74" in 1941 | 1894 |
Fullerton, NE | 6.72" | 1st | 5.19" in 1968 | 1901 |
Mankato, KS | 6.62" | 2nd | 6.79" in 1959 | 1958 |
Osceola, NE | 6.61" | 1st | 5.63" in 1968 | 1895 |
Plainville, KS | 6.41" | 1st | 4.26" in 1969 | 1904 |
Hebron, NE | 6.31" | 3rd | 6.94" in 2002 | 1893 |
Cawker City, KS | 6.23" | 1st | 5.90" in 1941 | 1913 |
Hastings, NE | 6.16" | 1st | 5.82" in 1897 | 1894 |
Loup City, NE | 6.09" | 1st | 5.76" in 1897 | 1894 |
Greeley, NE | 6.00" | 2nd | 6.87" in 1904 | 1895 |
Beloit, KS | 5.99" | 1st | 5.52" in 1897 | 1893 |
Grand Island, NE | 5.99" | 2nd | 6.10" in 1897 | 1895 |
Farimont, NE | 5.88" | 4th | 5.97" in 1986 | 1894 |
Ord, NE | 5.82" | 1st | 4.64" in 1984 | 1977 |
Superior, NE | 5.64" | 1st | 5.72" in 2002 | 1893 |
Ionia, KS | 5.49" | 2nd | 5.87" in 1959 | 1948 |
Arcadia, NE | 5.34" | 2nd | 6.46" in 1946 | 1900 |
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