Lincoln weather for 2006 was warm, dry
With few exceptions, Lincoln’s weather in 2006 was summed up in two words: warm and dry.
In its year-end report, the National Weather Service said the significant exceptions were the March and December snowstorms and cooler and wetter weather in August and September, which provided some relief from drought conditions.
For the year, the average temperature was 53.6 degrees, 2.5 degrees above normal. The highest temperature was 108, on July 19, and the low was minus 4, on Feb. 18. From January through December, the Lincoln airport recorded 24.68 inches of precipitation, 3.69 inches below normal; snowfall total was 18.1 inches, about 8.4 inches below average.
Here are some month-to-month highlights from the NWS report:
January — Remarkably mild: tied with 1933 for the warmest January on record. Felt more like mid-March than January. Average temperature was 14.3 degrees above normal. Every day was at least 5 degrees above normal and the low for the entire month was 14. Only a trace of snow fell, tying 1900 and 1986 for the least January snowfall.
February — String of consecutive days with highs above freezing finally ended on the 11th. 53 consecutive above-freezing days smashed previous winter string of 37, set in 1984. 5th driest February on record.
March — 9.9 inches of snow fell from the 19th through the 21st, one of only two snowfalls of more than an inch during the entire year. Severe thunderstorms produced hail around the area on the 30th.
April — Average temperature of 55.5 degrees was 4.3 degrees above normal, the warmest since 1981. Last spring frost came April 9, two weeks earlier than normal. Temperatures reached the 80s for six days in a row (10th through 15th).
May — 13 consecutive days with highs at least 80, second only to a 14-day May string in 1921.
June — 4th driest June on record. 10 days in the 90s, with high of 100 on June 30.
July — Drought continues; 3-month rainfall was only 4.82 inches, less than half the normal 11.28 inches for the period. Driest since 1953 and fifth-driest on record for what are normally wet months. 6 days with triple-digit highs; 108 peak on 19th was the hottest day since 1995, with none hotter since 1954.
August — Wettest month of the year; rainfall of 4.05 inches was 0.7 of an inch above normal. 10 days with triple-digit highs.
September — 3.93 inches of rain was 1.01 inches above normal.
October — Daily record high of 94 on the 1st; otherwise, 3.0 degrees below normal.
November — High of 84 on the 8th was a new daily record and the second-warmest temperature ever recorded in Lincoln in November.
December — Average daily temperature of 33.5 was 7 degrees above normal. 3.05 inches of moisture made it the third-wettest December on record. 7.5-inch snowfall on last day of the year was only the second snow of the year of more than an inch and the latest ever into the winter season without measurable snow.
In its year-end report, the National Weather Service said the significant exceptions were the March and December snowstorms and cooler and wetter weather in August and September, which provided some relief from drought conditions.
For the year, the average temperature was 53.6 degrees, 2.5 degrees above normal. The highest temperature was 108, on July 19, and the low was minus 4, on Feb. 18. From January through December, the Lincoln airport recorded 24.68 inches of precipitation, 3.69 inches below normal; snowfall total was 18.1 inches, about 8.4 inches below average.
Here are some month-to-month highlights from the NWS report:
January — Remarkably mild: tied with 1933 for the warmest January on record. Felt more like mid-March than January. Average temperature was 14.3 degrees above normal. Every day was at least 5 degrees above normal and the low for the entire month was 14. Only a trace of snow fell, tying 1900 and 1986 for the least January snowfall.
February — String of consecutive days with highs above freezing finally ended on the 11th. 53 consecutive above-freezing days smashed previous winter string of 37, set in 1984. 5th driest February on record.
March — 9.9 inches of snow fell from the 19th through the 21st, one of only two snowfalls of more than an inch during the entire year. Severe thunderstorms produced hail around the area on the 30th.
April — Average temperature of 55.5 degrees was 4.3 degrees above normal, the warmest since 1981. Last spring frost came April 9, two weeks earlier than normal. Temperatures reached the 80s for six days in a row (10th through 15th).
May — 13 consecutive days with highs at least 80, second only to a 14-day May string in 1921.
June — 4th driest June on record. 10 days in the 90s, with high of 100 on June 30.
July — Drought continues; 3-month rainfall was only 4.82 inches, less than half the normal 11.28 inches for the period. Driest since 1953 and fifth-driest on record for what are normally wet months. 6 days with triple-digit highs; 108 peak on 19th was the hottest day since 1995, with none hotter since 1954.
August — Wettest month of the year; rainfall of 4.05 inches was 0.7 of an inch above normal. 10 days with triple-digit highs.
September — 3.93 inches of rain was 1.01 inches above normal.
October — Daily record high of 94 on the 1st; otherwise, 3.0 degrees below normal.
November — High of 84 on the 8th was a new daily record and the second-warmest temperature ever recorded in Lincoln in November.
December — Average daily temperature of 33.5 was 7 degrees above normal. 3.05 inches of moisture made it the third-wettest December on record. 7.5-inch snowfall on last day of the year was only the second snow of the year of more than an inch and the latest ever into the winter season without measurable snow.
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