The recent heavy rain that brought flooding to parts of central Nebraska and north-central Kansas has drawn comparisons to the floods of 1993...1984 and 1967.  The following is a comparison showing the period of January 1st through June 15th of each year to show rainfall accumulations around the time of the 2008/1993/1984/1967 events.  While the Flood of 1967 resulted as a combination of snowmelt runoff and heavy rain...2008...1993 and 1984 were more the result of repetitive intense spring and summer thunderstorms.  Another contributing factor to this years groundwater rises was the record rainfall from 2007 where many locations finished the year anywhere from 3 to 13 inches above normal in annual precipitation.  Based on records...1984 appears on paper to be the January through mid-June rainfall leader of the 4 years reviewed...when spring storms saturated the ground followed by additional heavy rainfall...similar to 2008.  

Location 2008/Rank 1993/Rank 1984/Rank 1967/Rank All-Time Record/Jan 1-June 15
Grand Island 21.38/1st 8.97/43rd 21.36/2nd 16.22/7th 21.38/2008
Hastings 4N 15.06/21st (T) 8.21*/88th 20.70/3rd 13.64/33rd 21.28/1965*
Kearney 4NE 16.95/15th 11.67/40th 17.42/7th* 19.28/3rd 20.17/1930
Holdrege 15.31/19th 12.89/34th 15.41/16th(T) 14.82/20th 22.25/2007
Greeley 15.19/8th* 12.04/32nd* 17.89/3rd 11.96/33rd 24.44/1896*
Loup City 17.35/7th* 13.92/17th* 21.43/2nd 10.80/47th 22.45/1896*
Gothenburg 18.01/4th 8.99/63rd 18.04/3rd 10.34/46th 19.71/2007
York 15.69/24th* 17.96/7th* 20.93/2nd 15.56/27th 21.02/1896*
Minden 13.84/27th(T) 10.31/60th 16.20/9th(T) 18.70/5th 21.44/2007
Geneva 15.15/25th 13.30/42nd* 22.10/2nd 11.84/62nd 22.28/1898
Superior 12.87/34th* 13.37/28th 17.30/7th 11.68/45th 23.22/1987
Hebron 14.94/32(T)* 16.72/17th 19.87/3rd(T) 11.26/66th 21/10/1935
Fairmont 12.70/41st 15.52.14th 20.25/1st 9.72/71st 20.25/1984
Ravenna 19.70/4th 16.46/9th* 23.11/1st 19.82/3rd 23.11/1984
Smith Center 14.71/15th* 12.30/28th 11.71/29th 9.98/45th 19.00/1949*
Plainville 14.31/16th* 12.60/27th* N/A 8.90/35th 18.00/1915*
 Beloit 8.99/73rd* 12.68/33rd* 15.62/11th 13.35/27th 18.92/1987

Legend - (T) Tie with another year.   * One or more days of missing data.  Green blocks indicate the wettest year of the 4 years reviewed.

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