May 2015: Weather/Climate Review and Extremes for the NWS Hastings Coverage Area

°(Click on the links in gray boxes below to quickly jump to information located farther down the page)

* Please Note: All climate data presented here are preliminary and have not undergone final quality control by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Therefore, these data are subject to revision. Final and certified climate data can be accessed at: WWW.NCDC.NOAA.GOV. 

 May 2015 Weather/Climate Web Stories
(Click HERE for archive to all web stories)

May 2015 Climate And Weather Review For South Central Nebraska
And Portions Of North Central Kansas

...Temperatures averaged 1-3º BELOW normal across most of the area...
...Precipitation across most of the area within 1" above or below normal...except for well-above normal totals centered over the Thayer/Nuckolls/Jewell counties area...

The following narrative focuses on climate and weather highlights for the month of May 2015 across the NWS Hastings coverage area, encompassing 24 counties in south central and 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 NCDC 1981-2010 normals.

- TEMPERATURES...(According to 30-year averages, "normal" May high temperatures in South Central Nebraska gradually climb from the upper-60s early in the month to the upper-70s by month's end. In North Central Kansas, highs gradually warm from the low-70s to near 80. Low temperatures across the area generally climb from the low or mid-40s early in the month to the mid-50s by month's end...)

Due to time contraints, a full, detailed temperature narrative was not written for May 2015. However, the vast majority of the local area averaged 1-3° below normal for the month. See the tables and graphics below for more details.

(Please look farther down the page for more information on May 2015 temperatures and extremes, including detailed breakdowns for Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney and Ord.)


- PRECIPITATION/FLOODING...(According to 30-year averages, "normal" May rainfall is primarily between 3.75 and 4.25 inches across roughly the western half of the NWS Hastings coverage area (generally west of Highway 281) and generally between 4.25 and 4.75 inches for locations east of Highway 281. For the 30-county area as a whole...normal May rainfall roughly averages near 4.20"...)

Due to time contraints, a full, detailed precipitation narrative was not written for May 2015. However, there is little doubt that the rainfall highlight of the month was May 6th, when a stripe of very heavy rain in the 5-9" range targeted far southeast portions of the area, especially Thayer, Nuckolls and Jewell counties. See the link at the top of this page, and the precipitation maps below, for more details.

(Please look farther down the page for more information on May 2015 precipitation/snowfall and extremes, including rankings of wettest and driest locations, percent-of-normal plots, and a detailed breakdown for Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney and Ord. In addition, the link on the far upper right of this page contains an archive of monthly/annual precipitation and snowfall totals for around 70 locations.)

- DROUGHT STATUS (see images at bottom of page)...As shown in the images at the bottom of this page, only roughly one-third of the NWS Hastings coverage area had any drought classification whatsoever at the end of May 2015, and that was only for category D0 Abnormally Dry conditions (considered to be one category better than “true” drought).


- SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS/HIGH WINDS (for all official/finalized storm reports please refer to NCDC Storm Data)...Although this section does not contain a more detailed narrative this month, it goes without saying that BY FAR the most prolific severe weather day was May 6th, when 11 confirmed tornadoes struck southeastern portions of the local area, along with very heavy rains and flooding.

- Number of Severe Thunderstorm Warning polygons issued by NWS Hastings in May 2015: 34 (5 more than May 2014)
- Number of Tornado Warning polygons issued by NWS Hastings in May 2015: 29 (21 more than May 2014) 
- Number of confirmed tornadoes within the NWS Hastings coverage area in May 2015: 11 (3 more than May 2014)

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Click on the link below for May 2015 climate summaries specifically for Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney and Ord 

Grand Island - Hastings - Kearney - Ord

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Various graphs and tables depicting May 2015 climate data for
South Central Nebraska and North Central Kansas:

* Please Note: These data are preliminary and have not undergone final quality control by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Therefore, these data are subject to revision. Final and certified climate data can be accessed at WWW.NCDC.NOAA.GOV

Click Image For Larger Version
 

Grand Island Temperature Summary: Observed daily maximum and minimum temperatures are connected by blue bars. Area between normal maximum and minimum temperatures is shaded green. Red bars connect record high temperatures. Blue bars connect record low temperatures.	Hastings Temperature Summary: Observed daily maximum and minimum temperatures are connected by blue bars. Area between normal maximum and minimum temperatures is shaded green. Red bars connect record high temperatures. Blue bars connect record low temperatures.

Grand Island Precipitation Summary: Green line indicates cumulative observed precipitation for May 2015. Brown line indicates "normal" May precipitation based on 30-year data from 1981-2010.	Hastings Precipitation Summary: Green line indicates cumulative observed precipitation for May 2015. Brown line indicates "normal" May precipitation based on 30-year data from 1981-2010.

 Most of the following images depicting May 2015 Precipitation and Temperatures are courtesy of the High Plains Regional Climate Center:

* Please note: These maps are a "best-approximation" of actual measured values, and data reflected on these maps may not exactly match actual values due to the effects of interpolation and "smoothing" used to create the maps. In addition, some "bullseyes" may be a result of missing data.

Click Images For Larger Version

Nebraska: May 2015 Measured Precipitation (Inches)	Kansas: May 2015 Measured Precipitation (Inches)
Nebraska: May 2015 Percent of Normal Measured Precip.	Kansas: May 2015 Percent of Normal Measured Precip.
NWS Hastings Area: May 2015 Total "Observed" Precipitation Based On AHPS Precipitation Analysis Including Radar Data
	While the precipitation images above are based strictly on gauge-measured data, this image on the left utilizes an "Observed" multisensor approach created by River Forecast Centers. Hourly precipitation estimates from WSR-88D NEXRAD radar are compared to ground rainfall gauge reports, and a bias (correction factor) is calculated and applied to the radar field. For much more information on these types of images, and to create your own precipitation maps, please visit the following site: https://water.weather.gov/precip/
Nebraska: May 2015  Temperature Departure  from Normal (F)	Kansas: May 2015 Temperature Departure  from Normal (F)

The following drought category images, current as of June 2, 2015, are courtesy of the
U.S. Drought Monitor (see narrative above for more details):

Click Images For Larger Version

Nebraska - U.S. Drought Monitor as of June 2, 2015	Kansas - U.S. Drought Monitor as of June 2, 2015

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For more climate related information, check out the following websites:

This page was composed by the staff at the National Weather Service in Hastings, Nebraska.