Event narrative (NOAA)
Severe drought conditions (D2), which began the month of June, intensified to extreme drought conditions (D3) and to an exceptional drought (D4) in most of the eastern half the county by the end of the month. Pastures that make up close to 63 percent of the land use in Custer County (2007 Census USDA) was rated 69% poor or very poor. The lack of rain limited grazing capacity and created increased sales of livestock as the departure from normal precipitation reached below 3 inches in the east. Crop producers began silage of dryland corn. On July 23rd all counties in Nebraska were approved for CRP Emergency Haying and Grazing. The drought continued into August.
Other notable drought events in Nebraska
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.