Powerful Pacific System Impacting the West; First Significant Snow for Portions of the East

Power Pacific system will continue to bring significant impacts for Pacific Northwest into northern California the remainder of the week. Dangerous coastal affects, heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow continues. Meanwhile, a storm across the east is set to bring the first accumulating snow to many higher elevations of the Catskills into the central Appalachians. Read More >

Overview:

Brief Recap of Feb. 2017: More than anything else, February will be remembered for WELL-ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES across the entire area, with most places averaging 6-9° above normal. For most of the area, it was a "Top-10 Warmest" February, including the 6th and 4th-warmest on record at Grand Island and Hastings, respectively. Both Grand Island and Hastings set records for the most February days reaching 70+ degrees (six days) and also for the warmest two-week February stretch (from the 10th-23rd).

Precipitation-wise, there was more variability, but in general, the main story was that it was quite dry in most places, with most locations along-and-south of Interstate 80 measuring only 10-50% of normal February precipitation. Some of the outright-driest places were in North Central Kansas, where the NWS observers at places such as Phillipsburg and Beloit reported only a non-measurable Trace! North of Interstate 80, monthly totals averaged closer to normal, and even a touch above normal at places such as Ord. These northern counties received more moisture due largely to a snow event on the 23rd-24th that dumped 4-7" over that area.

This information in this story focuses on climate and weather highlights across the NWS Hastings coverage area, encompassing 24 counties in south central/central Nebraska, and 6 counties in north central Kansas. Click here for a map of this coverage area. The temperature and precipitation data presented here are largely based on the NWS Cooperative Observer network, along with data from a handful of automated airport sites. All climate averages and "normals" presented here are based on the official NCEI 1981-2010 normals.

2017 Nebraska Cooperative Observer Precipitation Tables (around 45 sites)
2017 Kansas Cooperative Observer Precipitation Tables (around 18 sites)
(for the 2017 tables, data for the previous month usually gets updated by around the 15th of the current month)

2016 Nebraska Cooperative Observer Precipitation Tables (around 45 sites)
2016 Kansas Cooperative Observer Precipitation Tables (around 18 sites)

(BE SURE TO CLICK THE VARIOUS TABS BELOW FOR A VARIETY OF FEB. 2017 CLIMATE INFORMATION!)

This graphic features a precipitation map for Feb. 2017, along with a partial listing of totals from official NWS stations. (Click image to enlarge)

G. I./Hastings Details
Kearney
Ord
Smith Center, KS
Temp/Precip Departure From Normal
Drought Monitor
Local Extremes

Grand Island & Hastings Details (Including 12-Month History):

Radar/Photo

Detailed Feb. 2017 info for Grand Island/Hastings
(Click to enlarge)


Grand Island Precipitation Summary: The green line indicates cumulative observed precipitation for February 2017.The brown line indicates "normal" February precipitation based on 30-year data from 1981-2010. (click to enlarge)	Hastings Precipitation Summary: The green line indicates cumulative observed precipitation for February 2017. The brown line indicates "normal" February precipitation based on 30-year data from 1981-2010. (click to enlarge)

Grand Island (Regional Airport) - March 2016 - February 2017

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Average High (F)

59.6

64.4

71.9

89.6

87.0

84.4

78.8

70.7

57.3

37.3

34.6

50.8

Average Low (F)

32.0

40.4

48.5

63.2

65.1

62.7

55.0

42.6

32.7

14.5

17.9

24.8

Average Temperature (F)

45.8

52.4

60.2

76.4

76.0

73.5

66.9

56.7

45.0

25.9

26.3

37.8

Departure From Normal

+6.4

+1.8

-1.0

+5.1

-0.2

-0.5

+1.8

+4.5

+6.9

-0.8

+1.2

+8.7

Precipitation (in)

0.61

5.05

6.84

0.05

4.10

0.57

2.53

0.12

1.37

0.81

1.07

0.25

Departure From Normal

-1.19

+2.52

+2.43

-4.25

+0.70

-2.55

+0.30

-1.74

+0.20

+0.18

+0.54

-0.43

Snowfall (in)

2.6

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.4

1.4

2.4

3.5

Departure From Normal

-2.8

-1.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

-0.1

-1.0

-2.7

-3.7

-4.1

-2.8

Hastings (Municipal Airport) - March 2016 - February 2017

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Average High (F)

60.0

64.6

71.0

89.1

87.7

84.9

78.6

71.3

57.4

37.7

35.7

51.4

Average Low (F)

32.7

41.0

48.9

64.0

66.0

63.4

56.1

44.0

34.2

15.6

19.4

25.8

Average Temperature (F)

46.3

52.8

59.9

76.5

76.9

74.1

67.3

57.6

45.8

26.6

27.6

38.6

Departure From Normal (F)

+6.4

+2.1

-1.4

+4.7

-0.2

-0.2

+1.7

+5.0

+7.1

-1.0

+1.6

+8.7

Precipitation (in)

0.54

5.69

3.68

0.75

2.22

1.77

1.80

0.22

1.46

0.61

0.83

0.27

Departure From Normal (in)

-1.25

+3.13

-0.89

-3.05

-1.52

-1.53

-0.76

-1.77

+0.17

0.00

+0.42

-0.22

Snowfall (in)

2.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

1.0

3.7

4.3

Departure From Normal (in)

-3.1

-1.2

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

-0.2

-1.0

-2.5

-5.1

-2.3

-2.2

Kearney - 12 Month Climate History:

All data here is from the official NWS observer at Kearney airport, with 24-hour observations taken around 7 a.m. ** PLEASE NOTE: This official Kearney data differs somewhat from the unofficial data presented by the automated airport system (KEAR) **

Kearney Airport (Coop Observer) - March 2016 - February 2017

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Average High (F)

59.5

63.2

69.5

87.4

86.4

84.3

79.3

70.8

58.6

37.8

36.9

50.0

Average Low (F)

27.4

39.5

46.6

61.7

63.4

61.8

53.0

40.8

33.4

14.8

19.5

24.1

Average Temperature (F)

43.5

51.4

58.1

74.6

74.9

73.1

66.2

55.8

46.0

26.3

28.2

37.1

Departure From Normal (F)

+5.8

+2.7

+1.4

+4.8

+0.2

+0.5

+2.7

+4.9

+9.0

+0.4

+3.6

+9.0

Precipitation (in)

0.56

8.39

2.30

0.61

3.38

1.47

1.20

0.12

1.56

0.90

0.90

0.30

Departure From Normal (in)

-1.23

+6.16

-1.88

-3.32

+0.10

-1.61

-0.87

-1.92

+0.54

+0.33

+0.41

-0.25

Snowfall (in)

3.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.2

1.0

4.5

5.2

Departure From Normal (in)

-1.6

-1.8

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

-0.2

-0.7

-2.9

-2.5

+0.1

+0.1

Ord - 12 Month Climate History:

Winter precipitation totals often include NWS Cooperative Observer data due to the automated airport equipment under-measuring snowfall liquid equivalent.

Ord (Evelyn Sharp Field Airport) - March 2016 - February 2017

Mar.

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Average High (F)

58.5

61.7

71.1

86.8

85.2

83.6

77.2

70.3

56.7

37.6

34.1

48.4

Average Low (F)

27.0

38.7

45.7

MSG

62.3

60.4

MSG

37.4

28.1

9.3

14.2

19.8

Average Temperature (F)

42.7

50.2

58.4

MSG

73.8

72.0

MSG

53.8

42.4

23.5

24.1

34.1

Departure From Normal (F)

+5.0

+1.4

-0.9

MSG

-0.6

-1.0

MSG

+4.2

+6.1

-1.4

-0.5

+6.3

Precipitation (in)

1.35

8.99

5.05

3.52

6.66

0.44

1.70

0.09

1.26

0.41

1.15

0.79

Departure From Normal (in)

-0.10

+6.40

+1.24

-0.60

+3.69

-2.72

-0.74

-1.84

+0.19

-0.18

+0.78

+0.35

Snowfall (in)

8.0

Trace

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

3.0

2.7

11.9

10.4

Departure From Normal (in)

+2.1

-2.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

-1.1

-2.3

-4.7

+5.1

+4.4

Smith Center, KS - 12 Month Climate History:

All data is from the official NWS observer, with 24-hour observations taken around 7 a.m. As a result, data may vary slightly from true "Calendar Day" totals.

Smith Center KS (NWS Coop Observer) - March 2016 - February 2017

Mar.

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Average High (F)

63.1

67.3

72.7

91.7

90.5

86.5

81.3

73.9

61.0

38.7

39.0

53.4

Average Low (F)

30.1

39.3

48.6

63.0

66.1

62.8

55.6

43.5

32.9

14.2

18.5

24.2

Average Temperature (F)

46.6

53.3

60.7

77.4

78.3

74.7

68.5

58.7

47.0

26.5

28.7

38.8

Departure From Normal (F)

+5.0

+0.8

-3.7

+3.4

-1.4

-2.5

+0.3

+3.9

+6.6

-2.3

+1.0

+6.8

Precipitation (in)

0.22

5.40

4.38

3.11

6.07

5.13

5.07

0.09

0.99

0.56

1.46

0.27

Departure From Normal (in)

-1.65

+3.13

+0.46

-0.50

+2.20

+1.83

+3.03

-1.79

-0.23

-0.10

+0.97

-0.31

Snowfall (in)

0.5

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

3.1

1.1

1.8

Departure From Normal (in)

-1.9

-0.6

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

-0.2

-0.4

-1.8

-0.1

-2.6

-2.3

Area Temperature & Precipitation Departure From Normal Maps:

These images depict Feb. 2017 monthly temperature departure from normal & precipitation percent-of-normal for both Nebraska & Kansas. Images are courtesy of the High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC). Click images to enlarge.


Departure from Normal Temperature - NE (left) & KS (right)		Percent of Normal Precipitation - NE (left) & KS (right)

Drought:

The following drought images, current as of Feb. 28, 2017, are courtesy of the U.S. Drought Monitor

Brief summary of changes during Feb. 2017 for the NWS Hastings coverage area:
Despite solidly below-normal precipitation across much of the local area during February, there was essentially no change whatsoever in drought categories across South Central Nebraska and North Central Kansas. This means that a little more than half of the local area remains in Abnormally Dry (D0), with a small area of Moderate Drought (D1) hanging on primarily within Kearney County (largely a holdover from the very dry conditions during summer 2016).


Drought Monitor for Nebraska (left) & Kansas (right). Valid as of February 28, 2017 (click to enlarge)

Monthly Extremes for the NWS Hastings Coverage Area:

...A FEW OF THE WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURES DURING FEBRUARY 2017...
(all data from NWS cooperative observers and occurred on the 21st)
83 degrees...Beaver City
82 degrees...Webster Dam KS
81 degrees...Cambridge - Edison

...A FEW OF THE COLDEST LOW TEMPERATURES DURING FEBRUARY 2017...
(all data from NWS cooperative observers or automated airport sites with the date in parentheses)
-6 degrees...2W Genoa (on the 9th)
-1 degrees...Ord airport (25th)
3 degrees...Gothenburg (25th) - Greeley (9th)

...A FEW OF THE HIGHEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION TOTALS DURING FEBRUARY 2017...
(all data from NWS cooperative observers or automated airport sites, unless specified)
0.79"...Ord airport
0.65"...Greeley
0.56"...3N York
0.53"...4S Shickley
0.52"...St. Paul - Belgrade

...A FEW OF THE LOWEST MONTHLY PRECIPITATION TOTALS DURING FEBRUARY 2017...
(all data from NWS cooperative observers or automated airport sites, unless specified)
Trace...Beloit KS - Glen Elder Dam KS - Logan KS - Webster Dam KS
0.01"...Phillipsburg KS
0.02"...Natoma KS
0.03"...Covert KS - Harlan County Lake
0.04"...4WNW Plainville KS

...A FEW OF THE HIGHEST MONTHLY SNOWFALL TOTALS DURING FEBRUARY 2017...
(all data from NWS cooperative observers, unless specified)
10.4"...Ord
10.3"...Greeley
6.3"...Miller
6.0"...3NE Shelby and 6SSE Lexington (Canaday Plant)
5.8"...2W Genoa

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