Climate Office News

Short- and Long-Term Forecasts Suggest Highly Variable Winter Temperatures

As winter rapidly approaches, it’s time to look at current conditions and weather patterns expected to impact North America during the next six months.

Although the temperature and precipitation patterns in October 2016 were similar to those in October 2015, the underlying causes were polar opposite patterns in the Equatorial Pacific. Last year we were entering an exceptionally strong El Nino in October, while this year a weak to moderate La Nina appears to be unfolding.

September 2016 Nebraska Climate Summary available

Looking for an update on Nebraska's climate conditions? Click here for a statewide summary to see how temperatures and precipitaiton fared, along with drought conditions and a monthly outlook.

August 2016 Nebraska climate summary available

Our monthly climate summary for August can be found here. Catch up on climate news for the month, see how our temperature and rainfall fared, get a drought recap, and peak ahead at the upcoming season.

Above Normal Temps, Precipitation Forecast for Nebraska

Al Dutcher, Agricultural Extension Climatologist, NSCO

According to the Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service, the start of the fall harvest season has begun in earnest. As of September 18, two percent of the corn and soybean acreage had been harvested. With temperatures soaring into the 80s and 90s this week, we would expect these harvest numbers will have increased by the next report Monday, especially for soybeans.

Comparing 2016 Summer Temperatures with 2015

Our office has been receiving a fair number of inquiries as to what impacts this growing season's weather trends have had on crops and whether bumper yields are likely to occur given USDA forecasts of baseline or better national corn yields. National yield forecasts the past 30 days have generally been in the range of 168 to 173 bushels per acre.

Ag community answers: What do you want from NSCO?

The newly formed Nebraska State Climate Office has set a goal of producing usable products with the information it collects through its statewide weather network, the Nebraska Mesonet.

To see where it should put its focus first, NSCO conducted a four-week survey of agriculture industry representatives through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension CropWatch.