Nice weather expected for holiday weekend

While the National Weather Service in Hastings is calling for a slight chance of showers this morning, the Fourth of July weekend looks to be something to celebrate.

Also, a spell of warm, dry weather could help area crops, which have lagged behind because of the rainy and cool weather the last few months.

After a strong chance of shower and thunderstoms Wednesday, this morning's chance of showers and thunderstorms is 20 percent. Today's high will be near 75, then things will warm up nicely for the holiday weekend. Thursday night will see a comfortable low around 58.

Independence Day looks to be a delightful bang with a mild high near 82 and calm easterly winds between 5 and 10 miles per hour. As day becomes night and the sounds and sights of fireworks take over, skies will become partly cloudy with a low around 64.

Saturday will be mostly sunny and warmer, with a high near 89 with a nighttime low around 67.

Things will be begin to heat up Sunday with a high near 93.

According to the National Weather Service in Hastings, the first couple of weeks of July should bring typical hot and dry conditions. That's a different forecast than the rainy, cooler conditions that have dominated the last several months.

According to the National Weather Service, during the last three months (April, May and June), Grand Island received 22.37 inches of rain, which is more than 12 inches above normal for that period.

The heavy rain brought flooding damage across Central Nebraska, particularly on June 25. Flooding along the Wood River and Platte River during that time resulted from heavy rain June 23 that deluged areas from Buffalo into southern Hall and northern Adams counties, according to the weather service.

On June 23 volunteers from the Nebraska Rainfall Assessment Information Network reported 5.26 inches of rain 0.2 miles west of Gibbon, 4.44 inches of rain 6.1 miles north of Kenesaw and 3.25 inches 0.5 miles south of Shelton from the June 23 heavy rains, which caused extensive lowland flooding of fields, pastures and county roads.

Al Dutcher, University of Nebraska-Lincoln state climatologist, said the July forecasts show the eastern part of the state at above-normal precipitation and below-normal temperatures. Dutcher said the rest of Nebraska stands an 50-50 chance of current trends continuing or reversing.

In Grand Island, a normal July brings an average of 3.14 inches of rain. But last year, more than 9 inches was recorded.

Warmer, drier conditions could help crops make up lost development time due to the prolonged wet period this spring.

According to the Nebraska Weather and Crops Report for the week ending June 29, corn conditions rated 70 percent good or excellent, compared to 85 percent good or excellent last year. Irrigated fields were rated 65 percent good or excellent, while dryland fields were at 77 percent, both below last year.

Soybeans were rated 69 percent good or excellent, well below last year's 81 percent good or excellent conditions.

The wheat crop, which is turning color, was rated 57 percent good or excellent compared to 58 percent last  year.

Alfalfa was rated 75 percent good or excellent, which is better than last year, but first and second cuttings lagged behind. Wild hay was rated 81 percent good or excellent, which is ahead of last year's 78 percent. Pasture and rangeland was rated 75 percent good or excellent, compared to 71 percent last year.

Sorghum conditions were rated 70 percent good or excellent, compared to 73 percent last year.