Mother Nature dropped rain and storms on the Plains
July was an unusually wet month for portions of Plains. Many parts of the region experienced periods of flash flooding as rounds of heavy rain and storms dumped rain too quickly.
Heartbreaking flash flooding impacted parts of the Texas Hill Country where heavy rain led to rapidly rising rivers that quickly flooded areas near them. Sadly, many lives were lost in the flooding that happened during the early morning hours of July 4.
Even farther north, weather patterns favored slow-moving storms dropping heavy rain many times during the month of July.
Some storms brought large hail and severe winds that left crops damaged after they moved through. July also included a mixture of temperatures with some bouts of hot temperatures and some stretches of cooler July air. Around the middle part of the month, a strong cold front dropped temperatures around 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit from the northern Plains into parts of the central Plains.
Looking ahead into August, below-average precipitation is forecast for the Nebraska panhandle into central Nebraska.
Also during the next month, we should see above-average temperatures for western portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska.
Above normal temperatures are expected for the entire region as we look ahead through October.
Also the next three months will likely include below average-precipitation for Nebraska and northern Kansas into western Kansas.
With this forecast in mind, drought conditions look to remain across parts of western and southern Nebraska along with northern Kansas. Southwest Texas is also expected to continue with drought conditions in the coming months.
Looking at the worldwide view, ENSO-neutral conditions are forecast to continue through the remainder of the summer. Beyond that, patterns are more uncertain with either ENSO-neutral remaining or a transition to La Niña.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for next month’s update.
Editor’s note:Regina Bird grew up on a farm near Belleville, Kansas. The views from the farm helped spur her interest in weather. Following high school, she went on to get a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Kansas. She worked as a television meteorologist for nine years in Nebraska. Follow her on Twitter: @ReginaBirdWX.
