LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Through the first 21 days, this October is the fourth driest October in Lincoln on record.

The capital has received just 1.7 inches of rainfall since July. This lack of rainfall is a common trend across the state.

“After coming through a very wet spring and early summer, it has felt like feast or famine lately,” said Brian Fuchs, a geoscientist at UNL’s National Drought Mitigation Center. “We are either very wet or very dry, and right now we are very dry.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 83% of Nebraska is currently experiencing drought conditions. 48% of the state is experiencing severe drought.

A U.S. seasonal outlook released Oct. 17 by NOAA suggests relief may not arrive until February 2025. Research suggests droughts are likely to continue throughout the winter, despite some forecast showers in the coming weeks.

“There is a small window of opportunity for near-term improvements later in the month and early November,” NOAA’s Brad Pugh said. “But for anything worthwhile you really have to wait until next spring.”

Mitigation center officials say the drought could always end as quickly as it began. However, the current trend should encourage people to be conscious of their water consumption.

“We see the drought continuing to develop and get worse,” Fuchs said. “And it looks like it’s going to stay that way for a while. So we should be prepared for that.”

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