NORFOLK- Over the past few weeks, Nebraska farmers have begun to plant their fields ahead of the upcoming growing season. However, the northeastern region of the state is suffering from a D4 intensity drought, the worst drought classification any state can be in. "We did happen to catch right here about 70 hundredths of the rain last night," said Kurt Janke, a Nebraska farmer in the region, "so that was good. And we're just going to have to keep getting timely rains."

According to a report released by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, 2022 was the driest year in history for many parts of Nebraska. Unfortunately, 2023 might be even worse for certain regions. "Year to date, Norfolk is still below average precipitation. Currently sitting at 2.5 inches below average on the year," said Brian Bruckner, a spokesman for the LENRD.

Bruckner stated that several towns and cities in the state already have water restrictions in place, which were established in anticipation of a particularly dry year. Bruckner recommended that Nebraskans pay attention to their community announcements for any changes regarding water usage, especially in areas where drought conditions are expected to continue.

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