Nebraska Weather Forecast

Nebraska has a continental climate with wide temperature extremes and a pronounced precipitation gradient from east to west. The eastern part of the state receives about 30 inches of rain annually, while the western Panhandle sees only about 15 inches. The state is situated in the heart of the Great Plains, where unobstructed airflow creates some of the windiest conditions in the country.

Nebraska is a prime location for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, sitting squarely within Tornado Alley. The state averages about 50 tornadoes per year and is famous among storm chasers for producing photogenic supercell thunderstorms. The Sandhills region, one of the largest grass-stabilized dune systems in the Western Hemisphere, creates unique weather interactions that can influence storm development.

Winters in Nebraska are cold and windy, with blizzards capable of bringing life-threatening conditions to the open plains. The Schoolchildren's Blizzard of 1888 killed over 200 people across the Plains states, many of them children caught at school. Summers bring heat and humidity to the east, with temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while the western Panhandle at higher elevation experiences more moderate conditions.