Christmas Day Rain Was Beneficial

On Christmas Day, an abnormal storm system moved through the middle of the U.S. and brought severe weather, heavy rain, and tornadoes to central and eastern Nebraska.  In addition to the highly publicized wind and tornado damage, some portions of Nebraska received some beneficial precipiation.  Areas from York to Lincoln and up towards Sioux City recieved a half inch or more of liquid precipiation.  The SCAN (NRCS monitoring site) station 10 miles east of Lincoln shows a sharp increase in soil moisture percent at the 2 and 4 inch depth (below).  Thanks to a week of warm temperatures, the soil temperatures (below) were able to come up above freezing and allow some of the moisture to infiltrate into the soil.  The top soil was fairly dry before the rainfall due to a couple months of below normal precipiation and much above normal temperatures.  Believe it or not, but this moisture will be beneficial come this spring.