Focusing on the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center’s (CPC) long-term Seasonal Drought Outlook, this William M. Lapenta NOAA student internship project aimed to address the complexities of communicating uncertainty and provide recommendations on improving communications to best support agricultural producers. This project focused on the process of communicating outlooks to the agricultural sector through the lens of agricultural intermediaries, such as agricultural extension staff and state climatologists.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Canadian and U.S. Prairies and High Plains for June–August 2025, with an outlook for October–December 2025. Dated September 2025. 

Summer brought mostly near normal temperatures across the Prairies and High Plains, with a small pocket of cooler conditions in the southern parts of North Dakota and slightly warmer along the southeastern High Plains. The Prairies and High Plains saw varied precipitation over the region, with some areas observing much wetter than normal conditions, while others remain near normal or very dry.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin for June–August 2025. Dated September 2025.

Temperatures were slightly above normal for the majority of the basin. This summer was also extremely humid, particularly in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Precipitation this summer was, for the most part, above normal for the eastern half of the basin. A total of nine counties in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota recorded their wettest summer on record, while another thirty ranked in the top five.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Canadian and U.S. Prairies and High Plains for March–May 2025, with an outlook for July–September 2025. Dated June 2025. 

Spring brought above-normal temperatures across the Prairies and High Plains, especially in the western Canadian Prairies, and portions of Montana, the Dakotas and Minnesota. The Prairies and High Plains saw drier-than-normal conditions overall, with the Canadian Prairies, particularly in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, southern Alberta, and much of Montana experiencing precipitation well below normal for the season.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin for March–May 2025. Dated June 2025.

Spring began on a warm note, with dozens of counties in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota ranking in the top 5 warmest. Precipitation was above normal in the western parts of the Dakotas this spring due to abundant rainfall in the latter half of May.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin for December 2024–February 2025. Dated March 2025.

Despite a warm start, temperatures this winter were mostly below normal. This winter was dry, with snowfall well below normal across much of the northern and central Plains.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Canadian and U.S. Prairies and High Plains for December 2024–February 2025, with an outlook for April–June 2025. Dated March 2025. 

Despite warm temperatures in December, a frigid February led to below-average seasonal temperatures across the central portion of the region. Very dry conditions were observed throughout southwestern Alberta and much of the High Plains. Areas in South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, and Alberta received less than 45% of their normal precipitation this winter.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Missouri River Basin for September–November 2024. Dated December 2024.

This fall was exceptionally hot across the basin, ranking the second warmest on record. Precipitation was well below normal for the Basin except for parts of Kansas.