Main highlights
The average temperature in Nebraska for May 2026 was 60.0°F, which was 1.6°F above the 20th century above average. This was the 38th warmest May on record. This was the 5th consecutive May with above average temperatures in Nebraska. The temperature was warmest relative to average in the Panhandle climate division (+2.8°F) while the Northeast climate division was only 0.7°F above average. No area in the state was near record warm temperatures this month for the first time since January. For the U.S. it was the 28th warmest May on record.
Figure 1. Mean temperature percentiles for May 2026
The average statewide precipitation for May 2026 was 2.78", which was 0.72" below the 20th century average. This was good for 41st driest on record. This was the first May with below average precipitation in Nebraska since 2014. Portions of southeast and east central Nebraska were above average while most of western and northern sections of the state were below average. Pockets of the Sand Hills were well below average. For the U.S. as a whole it was the 55th driest May on record.
Figure 2. Mean precipitation percentiles for May 2026
Near record low precipitation in 2026 Water Year
According to NCEI this is the 9th driest start on record to a calendar year in Nebraska (through five months) and the 5th driest Water Year from October 1 to May 31st.
Weather Summary
May started off very dry statewide with a record dry start to the month for many locations in eastern Nebraska. The dryness was not welcome news for improving the drought but it did lead to an acceleration of corn, soybean and sorghum planting. A more active weather pattern ensued in the last half of the month with significant precipitation falling between the afternoon of the 16th and the morning of the 19th, especially in the southeast quadrant of the state. Heaviest precipitation totals during this period occurred between Beatrice and Auburn where over 5 inches of rain was common with isolated reports of 7+".
Severe weather also was common during this period with multiple tornadoes on the afternoon/evening of May 17th. The St. Libory tornado was responsible for killing 42 cattle and causing damage to multiple homes. Wind speeds of almost 90 mph occurred near Fairbury on the evening of the 16th. Large hail also caused damage along the Kansas border that night.
Figure 3. Storm reports from May 17th, 2026.
Temperatures were generally on the cool side to start the month, which included sub-freezing temperatures in the northern part of the state on May 6th and frost that got before a long stretch of well-above average temperatures set in during the second week of May.
Drought Summary
Drought improved for much of the eastern third of the state, portions of the southeastern Sand Hills, and the southwest corner of the state during the last half of the month. Additional degradation occurred over portions of the Panhandle, south central, and northeastern Nebraska. It is possible that the current drought peaked in terms of spatial coverage of severe drought or worse during the month of May.
The map on May 12th showed 82 percent of the state in severe drought or worse while the map on June 2nd was down to 75.8 percent. Furthermore, the area in extreme drought (D3) declined by 10 percentage points and the area of exceptional drought (D4) also started to shrink later in the month.
Figure 4. USDM change map during May 2026
Temperature and Precipitation Extremes
Temperature and Precipitation Extremes for May 2026:
- Maximum High Temperature: 100°F, Beaver City
- Minimum High Temperature: 32°F, Bushnell 15 S
- Minimum Low Temperature: 17°F, Harrison 9 NE
- Maximum Low Temperature: 69°F, Offutt Air Force Base
- Maximum Precipitation: 8.77", Johnson 1.9 E
- Maximum Snowfall: 1.6", Bushnell 15 S
