Nebraska's Degree Days

November 2009

Nebraska had approximately 669 heating degree days during November 2009.  The state normally has 851 heating degree days during that month which indicates that the weather was 21 percent warmer than normal for November.

Winter 2009/2010

Nebraska had approximately 679 heating degree days during October 2009.  The state normally has 412 heating degree days during that month which indicates that the weather was 65 percent cooler than normal for October.

Winter 2008/2009

October 2008 started the winter heating season with normal weather for the month of October.  November had weather that was nine percent warmer than normal.  December had weather that was 12 percent colder than normal.  The months of January and February had weather that was an estimated six percent and nine percent, respectively, warmer than normal.  March weather was five percent colder than normal for the month of March.

The traditional heating season for natural gas is November through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5255 heating degree days.  During the 2008/2009 winter season, Nebraska had 5203 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was one percent warmer than normal, or you could just say near normal.

The traditional heating season for heating oil and propane is October through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5667 heating degree days.  During the 2008/2009 winter season, Nebraska had 5614 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was 0.9 percent warmer than normal, or again you could just say near normal.

Winter 2007/2008

During the winter of 2007/2008, the weather was warmer-than-normal winter weather during two months and colder than normal during four months.  October 2007 was 25 percent warmer than normal and November 2007 was 11 percent warmer than normal while December 2007 was 10 percent colder than normal, January 2008 was four percent colder than normal, February 2008 was 12 percent colder, and March 2008 was five percent colder than normal.

The traditional heating season for natural gas is November through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5255 heating degree days.  During the 2007/2008 winter season, Nebraska had 5497 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was five percent colder than normal.

The traditional heating season for heating oil and propane is October through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5667 heating degree days.  During the 2007/2008 winter season, Nebraska had 5807 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was three percent colder than normal.

Winter 2006/2007

During the winter of 2006/2007, the weather was warmer-than-normal winter weather during three months and colder than normal during three months.  October 2006 was 17 percent colder than normal, January 2007 was two percent colder than normal, and February 2007 was 15 percent colder than normal while November 2006 was 8 percent warmer than normal, December 2006 was 12 percent warmer than normal, and March 2007 was 26 percent warmer than normal.

The traditional heating season for natural gas is November through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5255 heating degree days.  During the 2006/2007 winter season, Nebraska had 5009 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was five percent warmer than normal.

The traditional heating season for heating oil and propane is October through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5667 heating degree days.  During the 2006/2007 winter season, Nebraska had 5491 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was three percent warmer than normal.

Winter 2005/2006

During the winter of 2005/2006, the weather was normal winter weather during three months and warmer than normal during three months. December 2005, February 2006, and March 2006 had normal winter weather while January 2006 was 33 percent warmer than normal, November 2005 was 18 percent warmer than normal, and October 2005 was 14 percent warmer than normal.

The traditional heating season for natural gas is November through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5255 heating degree days.  During the 2005/2006 winter season, Nebraska had 4698 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was 11 percent warmer than normal.

The traditional heating season for heating oil and propane is October through March.  Normally, Nebraska has 5667 heating degree days.  During the 2005/2006 winter season, Nebraska had 5054 heating degree days which indicates that the weather was 11 percent warmer than normal.

Winter 2004/2005

Winter, or the winter heating season, is traditionally the months of November through March for natural gas.  Each month in the 2004/2005 heating season was at least 10 percent warmer than normal with two exceptions:  January, which had normal winter weather, and March, which was only 3 percent warmer than normal.  During the 2004/2005 heating season, Nebraska had 4843 heating degree days.  The state normally has 5255 heating degree days during the heating season which indicates that the weather during last winter was 8.5 percent warmer than normal.  In other words, the weather was warmer than usual, and Nebraska consumers did not heat their homes and businesses as much as they would have if the 2004/2005 winter heating season had had normal weather.

Traditionally, the winter heating season for heating oil and propane is the months of October through March.  Each month in the 2004/2005 heating season was at least 10 percent warmer than normal with two exceptions:  January, which had normal winter weather, and March, which was only 3 percent warmer than normal.  During the 2004/2005 heating season, Nebraska had 5200 heating degree days.  The state normally has 5667 heating degree days during the heating season which indicates that the weather during last winter was 8.2 percent warmer than normal.  In other words, the weather was warmer than usual, and Nebraska consumers did not heat their homes and businesses as much as they would have if the 2004/2005 winter heating season had had normal weather.

Degree days for twelve cities in Nebraska are also published.  The twelve cities are:  Chadron, Grand Island, Holdrege, Lincoln, McCook, Norfolk, North Platte, Omaha, O'Neill, Pawnee City, Scottsbluff, and Valentine.

Freezing weather during the winter or sweltering weather during the summer can increase your utility bills.  You can find out how much of the rise in cost is a result of the weather by using a unit of measure called the "degree day".

Degree days are used to estimate fuel consumption and to pinpoint the nominal annual heating and cooling loads of a building.  A degree day is a 1 degree Fahrenheit difference between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and the average outdoor air temperature on a given day.  The more extreme the temperature, the higher the number of degree days.  Degree day measurements can be used to describe the effect of outdoor temperature on the amount of energy needed for space heating or cooling.  Hot days, which could require the use of energy for cooling, are measured in cooling degree days.  On a day with an average temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit, 25 cooling degree days would be recorded.  Cold days are measured in heating degree days.  For a day with an average temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, 20 heating degree days would be recorded.  Two such cold days would result in a total of 40 heating degree days for the two-day period.

By studying degree day patterns in an area, the increases or decreases in heating or air conditioning bills can be evaluated from year to year.  The Nebraska Energy Office maintains degree days and degree day normals for twelve cities around the state in addition to the state's degree days.  By studying the locator map, find the city to which you are closest and use that city's degree days.  Degree day information may also be published in a local newspaper, usually in the weather section.  Information could be available from a local utility.  Its public relations department may be able to provide the number of degree days in the last billing period and how it compares to the number of degree days in previous billing periods.

In the tables below, Nebraska's heating and cooling degree days are listed as well as degree day normals.  The graphs compare over thirty years of degree days to the degree day normals and the last two years of monthly degree days to monthly degree day normals for the state.

Heating Degree Days

Heating degree days measure how cold Nebraska is over a period of time relative to a base temperature (most commonly 65 degrees Fahrenheit).  Heating degree days are used as an indicator of space heating energy requirements.

According to the graph and data table below, over the last thirty-nine years, 1999/2000 was the warmest year with 5406 heating degree days, and 1978/1979 was the coldest year with 7440 heating degree days.  The graph below compares Nebraska's heating degree days each year (the red line) to what is considered normal (the black line).

The graph below compares heating degree days with the degree day normals for each month during the most recent year that data is available and the prior year.  Heating degree days are usually found during the heating season, or winter, but there can be heating degree days during the fall and spring, too.  Zero (0) degree days for any month indicate that temperatures reached levels that homes and businesses required minimal or no heating.

During 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, heating degree days were relatively close to the number of heating degree days of a normal year.  Although January and February traditionally have the most heating degree days, the months of December and January normally have the most heating degree days in Nebraska.  Nebraska had normal years in 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 since the months of December and January had the most heating degree days.

Data in the table below shows that the number of heating degree days in January 2006 (882) were 443 degree days below normal (1325).  In other words, the weather was warmer than usual, and Nebraska consumers heated their homes and businesses 33 percent less than they would in a January with normal weather.

Cooling degree days measure how warm Nebraska is over a period of time relative to a base temperature (most commonly 65 degrees Fahrenheit).  Cooling degree days are used as an indicator of air conditioning energy requirements.

According to the graph and data table below, over the last thirty-eight years, 1988 was the hottest year with 1285 cooling degree days, and 1992 was the coldest year with 628 cooling degree days.  The graph below compares Nebraska's cooling degree days each year (the blue line) to what is considered normal (the black line).  Note:  The gap in the data occurs when no data was available.

The graph below compares cooling degree days with the degree day normals for each month during the most recent year that data is available and the prior year.  Cooling degree days are usually found during the cooling season, or summer, but there can be cooling degree days during the fall and spring, too.  With the exception of January 2006, the period from November to February of each year consistently has zero (0) cooling degree days in Nebraska.  Zero (0) degree days for any month indicate that temperatures reached levels that homes and businesses required minimal or no cooling.

With the exception of April and June, the number of cooling degree days reported for each month in 2007 exceeded normal degree days.  The total indicated warmer-than-normal summer weather.  With the exception of July, the number of cooling degree days reported for each month in 2008 was below the normal number of cooling degree days.  The total indicated cooler-than-normal summer weather.  July is traditionally the peak of summer.  Nebraska does have the most cooling degree days in the month of July in 2008 but not in the year 2007 (although July comes very close), as observed in the graph.

Data in the table below shows that the number of cooling degree days in July 2006 (405) was above normal (335).  In other words, the weather was warmer than usual, and Nebraska consumers cooled their homes and businesses more than they would in a year with normal weather.

An increase on your utility bill could be related to an increase in degree days but, if you decide that weather had no bearing on the increase in your utility bill, other factors worth considering are changes in demand, changes in your building's structure, changes in the number of occupants, or changes in fuel prices.

Sources:

Heating Degree Days

Normals

State, Regional, and National Monthly Heating Degree Days, Weighted By Population (2000 Census), 1971-2000 (and previous normals periods), United States Climate Normals 1971-2000,

January 1970 - June 1992

State, Regional, and National Monthly and Annual Heating Degree Days Weighted by Population (1990 Census) July 1931 - June 1992.

July 1992 - June 1993

Climatological Data Annual Summary, Nebraska.

July 1993 - Present

Monthly State, Regional, and National Heating Degree Days Weighted by Population.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service; and National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC.

Normals

State, Regional, and National Monthly Cooling Degree Days, Weighted By Population (2000 Census), 1971-2000 (and previous normals periods), United States Climate Normals 1971-2000,

January 1970 - December 1991

State, Regional, and National Monthly and Annual Cooling Degree Days Weighted by Population (1990 Census) January 1931 - December 1991.

January 1992 - December 1992

Climatological Data Annual Summary, Nebraska.

January 1994 - Present

Monthly State, Regional, and National Cooling Degree Days Weighted by Population.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Asheville, NC.

Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE.

Notes:  NA = Not Available.  An asterisk (*) indicates an estimate.

This report was updated on December 11, 2009.  Typically, there is one month between updates.

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