National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce


North Platte Groundhog Day Climatology

 

February 2 is celebrated as Groundhog Day. One of the most famous groundhogs is Punxsutawney Phil, located in Punxsutawney, PA. It is said that if the groundhog sees his shadow, he predicts 6 more weeks of winter, otherwise the prediction is for an early spring. While the prediction of the groundhog is not always right, many enjoy the tradition. Below is a climatology for North Platte on Groundhog Day, February 2.

 

GROUNDHOG DAY IN NORTH PLATTE
PERIOD OF RECORD 142 YEARS: 1875-2016

TEMPERATURE DATA

Highest 69 degrees (1962)
Lowest -18 degrees (1883)
Lowest Maximum -6 degrees (1905)
Highest Minimum 33 degrees (2 times)
(1888 & 1952)
Average High 37.7 degrees
Average Low 11.2 degrees
30 year Normal High 40 degrees
30 year Normal Low 12 degrees
Average Temperature Range 26.5 degrees
Largest Range
between High and Low
50 degrees (2 times)
High 34, Low -16 (1893)
High 41, Low -9 (2015)
Smallest Range
between High and Low
6 degrees (2 times)
High 11, Low 5 (1936)
High 32, Low 26 (1945)

 

High Temperature by 10 Degree Ranges

-0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s
3 6 8 27 30 30 26 12
2.1% 4.2% 5.6% 19.0% 21.1% 21.1% 18.3% 8.5%

 

Low Temperature by 10 Degree Ranges

-10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s
14 18 24 41 39 6
9.9% 12.7% 16.9% 28.9% 27.5% 4.2%

 

PRECIPITATION DATA

Maximum Precipitation 0.44 inches (1920)
Maximum Snowfall 4.1 inches (2016)
Number of Times Precipitation 43 Occurrences or 30.3%
Number of Times
Measurable Precipitation
(more than a Trace)
18 Occurrences or 12.7%
Number of Times Snowfall 39 Occurrences or 27.5%
Number of Times
Measurable Snowfall
(more than a Trace)
16 Occurrences or 11.3%
Number of Times No Precipitation 99 Occurrences or 69.7%
Most Snow on Ground
at Observation Time
9 inches (2016)

 

WHITE GROUNDHOG DAY IN NORTH PLATTE
PERIOD OF RECORD 137 YEARS: 1880-2016

White Groundhog Day = 1 inch or more of snow on ground
at observation time on February 2
(snow depth rounded to nearest whole inch or trace if 0.4 inches or less)
*Snowdepth estimated for 1883 & 1891*

Number of Years with a
White Groundhog Day (137 years)
44 Years (32.1%)
Number of Years with a
White Groundhog Day (last 25 years)
7 Years (28.0%)
Number of Years with a
White Groundhog Day (last 10 years)
2 Years (20.0%)
2007 - 4 inches
2016 - 9 inches
Number of Years with trace or
more snow on Ground (137 years)
63 Years (46.0%)
Number of Years with trace or
more snow on Ground (last 25 years)
9 Years (36.0%)
Number of Years with trace or
more snow on Ground (last 10 years)
3 Years (30.0%)
Consecutive Years with a
White Groundhog Day
8 Years (1915 - 1922)
Consecutive Years without a
White Groundhog Day
9 Years (1923 - 1931)
Current Streak Consecutive Years
White Groundhog Day
1 Year

 

White Groundhog Day Occurences by Decade
* incomplete decade

1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
1 2 3 6 3 4 3
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
4 5 3 3 2 4 1*

 

DAILY WEATHER SUMMARIES PAST 5 NEW YEAR'S DAYS

Date High Low Precip Snow Snow Depth Remarks
2012 56 17 0.00 0.0 0  Mostly cloudy morning, partly sunny
 afternoon
2013 53 20 0.00 0.0 0  Sunny, windy (peak gust 47 mph)
2014 25 -9 0.00 0.0 0  Early morning clouds, otherwise sunny
2015 41 -9 0.00 0.0 0  Mostly sunny
2016 30 21 0.27 4.1 9  Cloudy, snow most of the day, windy
 (peak gust 36 mph)

 

YEAR BY YEAR WEATHER FOR PAST NEW YEAR'S DAYS
CLICK ON GRAPH FOR LARGER IMAGE

Temperatures - High & Low with Averages

Precipitation

Temperatures - High & Low with Averages

Precipitation

ALSO VISIT VALENTINE GROUNDHOG DAY CLIMATOLOGY

For more holiday climate studies see the main menu
Holiday Climate Studies for North Platte and Valentine

 

  Page composition by
Matthew Masek
  Update includes 2016