National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Excessive Rainfall in the Southern Plains; Extreme Heat Coming to the Southwest U.S.

Heavy to severe thunderstorms may bring areas of excessive rainfall and flooding over parts of the southern Plains through Friday. A Slight Risk of excessive rainfall has been issued. Dangerously hot temperatures are forecast across parts of southern Arizona and far southeastern California Saturday through Monday. An Extreme Heat Watch has been issued. Read More >

Overview

May of 2019 rewrote the record books across western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. Continuing the cold and wet trend of early spring, May was characterized by repeated bouts with well below normal temperatures and heavy snow, including snow on some days in late May for the first time on record. Rapid snowmelt and heavy rain late in the month also contributed to widespread flooding issues, including record crests on portions of the Cheyenne and White rivers in western South Dakota.

Here, we provide statistics on the monthly average temperatures and precipitation totals for downtown Rapid City and several cooperative observer sites across the area, including where May 2019 ranks in the record books. On the other tabs, we provide lists of all daily temperature and precipitation records set at these sites throughout May and a list of the preliminary record river crests during the month.

 

nws logo Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged!
Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.
nws logo