KIMBALL – A moisture bearing weather front brought cloudiness, cooler temperatures and widespread but generally light rain to the tri-state region over the last week.
Last Friday and Saturday the clouds rolled in and temperatures fell, lowering daytime temps by about 10 degrees and sending the mercury to near-freezing overnight.
Rainfall totals averaged about a quarter-inch across the Panhandle.
Wet fields kept many producers out of the field over the last week.
Winter wheat stands appear to be in very good shape with some jointing present. Volunteer wheat and millet is quite thick in many places.
Cool season grasses are really taking off and many forbs are beginning to flower.

Regional Forecast and Conditions
As of Tuesday morning (April 25) conditions were cool in the wake of overnight thunderstorms. A cold front promising more rain and continued cool conditions was moving through the region. The Friday-Wednesday forecast calls for much cooler conditions, more rain, and a good chance of snow or rain-snow mix through the weekend, followed by gradual warming and drying beginning early next week. Through the weekend daytime highs are expected to climb only into the 40’s with overnight lows falling to 30 degrees or slightly below. For Monday-Wednesday daytime temperatures should climb into the 50’s under sunny skies while overnight lows are expected to dip into the upper 30’s. Chance of precipitation across the region over the weekend is in the 80-100 percent range falling to near-zero Monday-Wednesday.
Air temperatures cooled across the region last week. At Kimball the April 18-24 daytime high averaged 62.42 degrees, about 8 degrees cooler than the previous week. The weekly high temperature was 69 degrees on April 18 and 23. Overnight lows averaged 36.28 degrees, about 1.5 degrees cooler than the previous week. The weekly low temperature was 31 degrees on April 20. The weekly mean temperature was 55.35 degrees, about 1 degree warmer than the previous week and 10 degrees warmer than the April average of 45.2 degrees. The long term average high and low temperatures at Kimball for April are 59.6 and 30.9 degrees, respectively.
Twelve of 13 Panhandle stations reported precipitation over the April 18-24 period, ranging from 0.66 inches at Chadron to 0.10 inches at Alliance. Big Springs reported zero precipitation for the week. Panhandle precipitation averaged 0.24 inches for the week.
Soil temperatures ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 degrees warmer than the previous week across the Panhandle for the April 18-24 period. April 25 soil temperatures (this week/last week/change): Alliance 54.8/53.8 (+1.0) degrees; Gordon 54.8/54.4 (+0.4) degrees; Mitchell 56.4/56.3 (+0.1) degrees; Scottsbluff 56.4/54.9/ (+1.5); and Sidney 56.8/56.1 (+0.7) degrees.
Winds near Kimball averaged south-southwesterly and occasionally breezy over the April 18-24 period. Gusts for the week averaged 27.85 mph. High gust for the week was 43 mph
on April 19.
April 28 Weather Almanac
Here’s an overview of April 28 temperature and precipitation highs, lows, and averages over the preceding 123 years at Kimball. Data is taken from the High Plains Regional Climate Center (www.hprcc.unl.edu), where you can easily find and track data for your own particular location.
Last year (April 28, 2016): Daily high temperature 48 degrees, overnight low 29 degrees, average temperature 38.5 degrees. Precipitation 0.00 inches, snowfall zero inches, snow depth
zero inches.
The warmest April 28 on record was 90 degrees in 1910. The coolest April 28 high temperature was 30 degrees in 1994. The coldest April 28 overnight low was 19 degrees in 1994. The warmest April 28 overnight low was 49 degrees in 1901. Over the years since 1893 the high temperature on April 28 has averaged 62 degrees, the overnight low 35 degrees, the daily average 48.2 degrees, precipitation has averaged 0.07 inches, snowfall 0.1 inches, snow depth zero inches.
The highest April 28 precipitation recorded over the last 123 years was 0.98 inches in 1900.
Snow has fallen on April 28 at Kimball 11 times over the last 123 years. The greatest April 28 snowfall was 2.3 inches in 1935. Measurable April 28 snow depth was reported in 6 of the last 123 years. The greatest April 28 snow depth was 2.0 inches in 2005.

U.S. Drought Monitor (April 4)
The Plains: Precipitation in the High Plains region for the period was quiet for the most part with the exception of precipitation in eastern South Dakota and eastern Nebraska. Totals there amounted to about an inch or less, near to slightly above normal. Elsewhere was dry as the frontal systems that made it through were starved of moisture. In eastern Colorado, moderate drought (D1) was lifted along the Colorado and Kansas border as short and long term indicators appear to have mostly rebounded from the drought that began in that area last autumn. Also in eastern Kansas, D0 was trimmed back following the above normal precipitation at 60 days.
National Summary: An active weather pattern provided above-normal precipitation during the USDM period (April 11-18) in much of the Southern Plains, West, Northwest, and parts of the Midwest. Below-normal precipitation dominated the Rockies, Southwest, Southeast and Northeast. Average daytime temperatures were generally above normal across much of the CONUS with the exception of the Northwest where temperatures were generally 3 degrees cooler than normal. Much of the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and Central Plains were 9-12 degrees above normal for the period. Drought conditions expanded and intensified for much of the Southeast where the lack of rains have begun to parch the soils. In the South, Texas continues to see above normal precipitation resulting in a continual decrease in overall area covered in drought (D1-D4). Meanwhile in the West, the onslaught of Pacific storms continue to bring copious amounts of moisture to the region, swelling the reservoirs, threatening snowpack records and padding the record high precipitation amounts. Additional information on the indices, impacts and changes in drought status can be found in the regional sections below.

For more information on the U.S. Drought Monitor visit: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu

U.S. Conditions and Weather Report
(April 25) Active weather, featuring several individual disturbances, resulted in showery conditions across large sections of the country.
Damp weather and wet fields maintained a slow pace of fieldwork and crop development in northern California and the Northwest. Periods of stormy weather extended eastward across the northern and central Rockies, as well as the northern Plains and upper Midwest. As a result, planting of crops such as corn, spring wheat, and sugarbeets, was restricted by soggy field conditions.
Warm and notably drier weather prevailed across the lower Midwest, allowing corn planting and other early-season fieldwork to proceed.
Farther south, a late-week storm system brought heavy rain and cooler weather to a belt stretching eastward from the southern Plains and mid-South. The rain, while disruptive to fieldwork, benefited emerging summer crops and further eased pockets of long-term Southeastern drought.
Elsewhere, much-needed rain developed on Sunday, April 23, across southern Florida, where several significant wildfires had
previously flared.
Most of the remainder of the lower Southeast remained warm and unfavorably dry. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10 degrees above normal from portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia northward into the Ohio Valley.

USDA Weekly Weather and Crop Reports

Nebraska
For the week ending April 23, 2017, temperatures averaged two to four degrees above normal.
Significant rainfall was limited to a few north central counties and some eastern areas.
Topsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 21 short, 69 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 24 short, 67 adequate, and
2 surplus.
Corn planting was underway in most areas and the first fields of soybeans were planted. There were 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork.
Corn planted was 17 percent, near 15 last year, and ahead of 11 for the five-year average. Emerged was 2 percent, near 1 last year and average.
Soybean planted was 4 percent, near 0 last year and 1 average.
Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 8 poor, 37 fair, 47 good, and 7 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 33 percent, behind 51 last year, but ahead of 26 average.
Oats planted was 81 percent, near 83 last year and equal to average. Oats emerged was 39 percent, behind 50 last year, and near 43 average.
Cattle and calf conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 15 fair, 71 good, and 14 excellent. Calving progress was 89 percent complete, equal to last year and average. Cattle and calf death loss rated 1 percent heavy, 65 average, and 34 light.
Sheep and lamb conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 22 fair, 68 good, and 9 excellent. Sheep and lamb death loss rated 1 percent heavy, 74 average, and 25 light.
Hay and roughage supplies rated 1 percent very short, 4 short, 90 adequate, and 5 surplus.
Stock water supplies rated 1 percent very short, 5 short, 93 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Wyoming
Wyoming experienced warmer than normal temperatures for the week. Thirty out of 34 stations reported above average temperatures for the week with the high temperature of 78 degrees recorded at Torrington and a low of 15 degrees at Shirley Basin.
All 34 stations reported some precipitation as 25 of the 34 stations had more than average precipitation. Sundance had the most precipitation with 1.76 inches and Evanston had the least with 0.01 inches.
A reporter in North Central Wyoming indicated that another spring storm delayed farm work but pasture conditions are very good. Another reporter from North Central Wyoming reported spring planting is just getting underway and conditions are good but much drier to
the east.
A reporter from Northeast Wyoming indicated that moisture has been spotty with many places not getting very much moisture and the need for precipitation is
getting critical.
One reporter from Southwest Wyoming commented that the weather has been cool and unsettled with little sunshine. They also indicated that they need some warm dry weather to start the farming operations.
A reporter from South Central Wyoming stated that they finally received a little moisture this week.
A reporter from Southeast Wyoming reported that a wet week with another wet week forecasted will benefit rangelands. Another reporter from Southeast Wyoming noted that they received snow and rain over most of the county and it is forecasted to continue with
high winds.
Stock water supplies across Wyoming were rated 8 percent very short, 10 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus.

Colorado
Spring planting is in full swing for several crops across the state.
Isolated precipitation received in counties continues to improve soil moisture conditions, but did limit fieldwork in areas.
Reporters in eastern districts noted that winter wheat condition is improving as producers begin fertilizing and spraying for weeds.
Short-term pasture conditions are also improving with moisture.
As of April 24th, snowpack in Colorado was at 92 percent measured as percent of median snowfall.
Stored feed supplies were rated 4 percent short, 84 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus.
Sheep death loss was 35 percent average and 65 percent light. Cattle death loss was 1 percent heavy, 74 percent average, and 25
percent light.