Scattered showers and thunderstorms across the region continuing this week

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - High pressure along with steady precipitation over the last few days have caused a continuing weather pattern where we see clearer skies over the day with chances for precipitation each evening as cooling brings temperatures to the dew point, causing clouds and possible precipitation. The clear skies midday, do mean that we’ll see temperatures consistently in the 80s for the beginning of the week.

Temperatures in the 70s after a midweek warmup before we start to see cooling temperatures on Thursday and Friday, leading to severe storm chances. While it is likely we will see rain and thunderstorms each day this upcoming week, the severe potential for unrest in the atmosphere lays on Thursday and Friday with a cold front pushing through. While it will likely only drop just a few degrees, if that is all a focused front that happens at once, with a warm and moist atmosphere, we could see severe potential. However, I want to stress that this is as of Saturday, June 3rd. We are almost an entire week from then, and in severe weather forecasting, that is just about a lifetime and anything can change in 5 days.

What can’t change in 5 days though, is the drought. It has taken the better part of three months to change. Slowly, but (don’t call me) surely, we have seen enough rain to put a significant dent in the drought that western Nebraska faced. Unfortunately this has not helped eastern Nebraska, and many areas haven’t quite seen the relief they need yet. But, we’ve seen enough moisture to take area’s down to the most severe category (exceptional), down to the second lowest classification of drought (abnormally dry).

While areas like Lincoln are now imposing voluntary water restrictions, areas in western Nebraska are finally starting to get the much needed rain for farms and crops to survive.

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