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Nebraska's Degree Days |
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November 2009 |
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Introduction 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". |
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Degree Day Normals Degree day normals are thirty-year averages over a baseline comparison period. The current thirty-year period used for degree-day normals is 1971-2000. The average number of heating and cooling degree days, or the degree day normals, for each month and a total for the year is listed in the last row of each table below. Nebraska's heating degree day normal for a year is 6525 and cooling degree day normal for a year is 1008. In a year with normal weather, Nebraskans will heat their homes and businesses 6525 degree days and cool their homes and businesses 1008 degree days. In comparison, Hawaii (a hot weather state) has 20 heating degree days and 3002 cooling degree days, and Colorado (a cold weather state) has 7410 heating degree days and 273 cooling degree days. In the 2005/2006 season, Nebraska's heating degree days totaled 5598 or 927 degree days less than the degree day normal. This indicates Nebraska's winter was 14 percent warmer than normal. In 2005, Nebraska's cooling degree days totaled 1156 or 148 degree days more than the degree day normal. This indicates Nebraska's summer was 15 percent warmer than normal. Comparison can also be made between degree day normals and degree days using individual months. |
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Heating Degree Days |
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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. |
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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. |
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| Heating Degree Days and Degree Day Normals for Nebraska 1969/1970 - 2009/2010 |
| Season | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Total |
| 1969/1970 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1467 | 912 | 972 | 444 | 108 | 24 | NA |
| 1970/1971 | 1 | 4 | 108 | 479 | 847 | 1129 | 1400 | 1109 | 906 | 397 | 241 | 13 | 6634 |
| 1971/1972 | 18 | 10 | 100 | 303 | 760 | 1136 | 1362 | 1058 | 725 | 460 | 187 | 26 | 6145 |
| 1972/1973 | 13 | 16 | 105 | 487 | 896 | 1370 | 1280 | 1007 | 712 | 481 | 232 | 25 | 6624 |
| 1973/1974 | 9 | 0 | 141 | 299 | 801 | 1266 | 1441 | 928 | 709 | 386 | 160 | 42 | 6182 |
| 1974/1975 | 0 | 34 | 168 | 312 | 769 | 1157 | 1273 | 1203 | 1030 | 528 | 151 | 44 | 6669 |
| 1975/1976 | 1 | 2 | 155 | 302 | 811 | 1125 | 1261 | 784 | 817 | 349 | 226 | 31 | 5864 |
| 1976/1977 | 1 | 8 | 91 | 532 | 961 | 1197 | 1541 | 886 | 710 | 286 | 85 | 16 | 6314 |
| 1977/1978 | 0 | 24 | 81 | 398 | 811 | 1226 | 1651 | 1394 | 931 | 425 | 204 | 26 | 7171 |
| 1978/1979 | 6 | 13 | 48 | 398 | 865 | 1364 | 1738 | 1390 | 865 | 491 | 228 | 34 | 7440 |
| 1979/1980 | 11 | 14 | 63 | 366 | 906 | 1000 | 1279 | 1164 | 954 | 418 | 178 | 19 | 6372 |
| 1980/1981 | 0 | 6 | 73 | 426 | 696 | 1089 | 1118 | 947 | 720 | 229 | 237 | 19 | 5560 |
| 1981/1982 | 6 | 21 | 94 | 444 | 693 | 1212 | 1593 | 1123 | 885 | 516 | 174 | 85 | 6846 |
| 1982/1983 | 2 | 14 | 117 | 384 | 879 | 1090 | 1182 | 928 | 842 | 634 | 278 | 46 | 6396 |
| 1983/1984 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 370 | 785 | 1758 | 1304 | 869 | 1009 | 558 | 227 | 26 | 6971 |
| 1984/1985 | 8 | 1 | 146 | 416 | 770 | 1175 | 1407 | 1154 | 701 | 326 | 129 | 56 | 6289 |
| 1985/1986 | 8 | 31 | 142 | 415 | 1117 | 1411 | 1021 | 1089 | 645 | 398 | 174 | 15 | 6466 |
| 1986/1987 | 1 | 33 | 86 | 401 | 901 | 1090 | 1109 | 795 | 785 | 346 | 106 | 17 | 5670 |
| 1987/1988 | 1 | 24 | 111 | 518 | 695 | 1080 | 1433 | 1120 | 772 | 451 | 107 | 4 | 6316 |
| 1988/1989 | 7 | 2 | 91 | 485 | 766 | 1054 | 1034 | 1350 | 892 | 357 | 184 | 58 | 6280 |
| 1989/1990 | 2 | 14 | 140 | 376 | 835 | 1432 | 1008 | 974 | 751 | 465 | 257 | 19 | 6273 |
| 1990/1991 | 12 | 10 | 51 | 402 | 697 | 1347 | 1449 | 816 | 736 | 379 | 132 | 15 | 6046 |
| 1991/1992 | 7 | 11 | 90 | 435 | 1043 | 1033 | 1009 | 790 | 696 | 473 | 182 | 68 | 5837 |
| 1992/1993 | 36 | 52 | 118 | 402 | 946 | 1231 | 1458 | 1267 | 922 | 548 | 217 | 62 | 7259 |
| 1993/1994 | 15 | 15 | 202 | 449 | 944 | 1083 | 1390 | 1241 | 731 | 457 | 139 | 18 | 6684 |
| 1994/1995 | 21 | 19 | 83 | 343 | 751 | 1131 | 1284 | 894 | 833 | 571 | 324 | 45 | 6299 |
| 1995/1996 | 3 | 1 | 135 | 412 | 889 | 1149 | 1432 | 994 | 1030 | 490 | 248 | 26 | 6809 |
| 1996/1997 | 17 | 21 | 148 | 379 | 1013 | 1329 | 1386 | 1001 | 743 | 616 | 281 | 26 | 6960 |
| 1997/1998 | 6 | 19 | 78 | 371 | 888 | 1098 | 1220 | 822 | 1031 | 470 | 119 | 61 | 6183 |
| 1998/1999 | 5 | 9 | 32 | 343 | 690 | 1075 | 1267 | 806 | 806 | 464 | 193 | 51 | 5741 |
| 1999/2000 | 0 | 18 | 140 | 393 | 565 | 1021 | 1143 | 833 | 686 | 439 | 128 | 40 | 5406 |
| 2000/2001 | 8 | 1 | 80 | 325 | 1038 | 1505 | 1206 | 1226 | 933 | 375 | 165 | 37 | 6899 |
| 2001/2002 | 1 | 9 | 109 | 398 | 540 | 1041 | 1094 | 981 | 1062 | 405 | 244 | 8 | 5892 |
| 2002/2003 | 0 | 11 | 81 | 586 | 840 | 1035 | 1249 | 1133 | 803 | 391 | 234 | 56 | 6419 |
| 2003/2004 | 5 | 5 | 150 | 320 | 866 | 1065 | 1338 | 1135 | 677 | 391 | 163 | 64 | 6179 |
| 2004/2005 | 20 | 38 | 52 | 357 | 736 | 1086 | 1360 | 879 | 782 | 385 | 199 | 21 | 5915 |
| 2005/2006 | 1 | 13 | 47 | 356 | 698 | 1255 | 882 | 1018 | 845 | 316 | 151 | 16 | 5598 |
| 2006/2007 | 0 | 12 | 172 | 482 | 781 | 1033 | 1330 | 1208 | 612 | 509 | 124 | 30 | 6293 |
| 2007/2008 | 6 | 2 | 90 | 310 | 760 | 1338 | 1386 | 1154 | 872 | 593 | 245 | 36 | 6792 |
| 2008/2009 | 8 | 18 | 120 | 411 | 775 | 1369 | 1297 | 958 | 853 | 531 | 182 | 45 | 6567 |
| 2009/2010 | NA | NA | NA | *679 | *669 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Normal | 11 | 21 | 122 | 412 | 851 | 1220 | 1325 | 1032 | 827 | 459 | 205 | 39 | 6525 |
| Cooling
Degree Days 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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| Cooling Degree Days and Degree
Day Normals for Nebraska 1970 - 2009 |
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
| 1970 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 242 | 372 | 359 | 91 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1197 |
| 1971 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 314 | 253 | 297 | 102 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1031 |
| 1972 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 226 | 280 | 254 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 916 |
| 1973 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 240 | 316 | 369 | 65 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1056 |
| 1974 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 81 | 180 | 497 | 185 | 46 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1017 |
| 1975 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 180 | 373 | 371 | 53 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1090 |
| 1976 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 43 | 212 | 372 | 325 | 107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1068 |
| 1977 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 153 | 273 | 422 | 220 | 116 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1214 |
| 1978 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 53 | 230 | 346 | 279 | 165 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1081 |
| 1979 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 202 | 294 | 271 | 139 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 960 |
| 1980 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 70 | 257 | 458 | 351 | 127 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1270 |
| 1981 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 40 | 268 | 352 | 230 | 103 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1033 |
| 1982 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 116 | 370 | 265 | 81 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 916 |
| 1983 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 176 | 426 | 493 | 140 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1274 |
| 1984 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 238 | 336 | 367 | 62 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1051 |
| 1985 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 104 | 153 | 323 | 192 | 63 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 859 |
| 1986 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 73 | 286 | 382 | 190 | 116 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1067 |
| 1987 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 129 | 281 | 391 | 217 | 88 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1115 |
| 1988 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 356 | 336 | 352 | 109 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1285 |
| 1989 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 64 | 151 | 362 | 269 | 62 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 926 |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 255 | 292 | 293 | 158 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1037 |
| 1991 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 106 | 291 | 340 | 291 | 108 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1148 |
| 1992 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 63 | 136 | 190 | 144 | 82 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 628 |
| 1993 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 260 | 235 | 243 | 113 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 959 |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 177 | 356 | 396 | 67 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1022 |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 225 | 253 | 226 | 57 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 806 |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 229 | 345 | 238 | 120 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 968 |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 150 | 361 | 310 | 201 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1153 |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 162 | 409 | 245 | 64 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 948 |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 109 | 187 | 331 | 381 | 119 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1149 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 79 | 189 | 404 | 317 | 87 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1088 |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 332 | 446 | 296 | 117 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1231 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 38 | 146 | 382 | 359 | 56 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 997 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 77 | 135 | 246 | 177 | 159 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 812 |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 57 | 253 | 381 | 284 | 166 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1156 |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 87 | 259 | 405 | 284 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1092 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 110 | 204 | 365 | 369 | 106 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1177 |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 192 | 339 | 244 | 78 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 894 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 169 | *184 | *159 | *82 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Normal | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 71 | 214 | 335 | 275 | 96 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1008 |
| Conclusion 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. |
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Sources: | |
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Heating Degree Days | |
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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, |
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January 1970 - June 1992 |
State, Regional, and National Monthly and Annual Heating Degree Days Weighted by Population (1990 Census) July 1931 - June 1992. |
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July 1992 - June 1993 |
Climatological Data Annual Summary, Nebraska. |
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July 1993 - Present |
Monthly State, Regional, and National Heating Degree Days Weighted by Population. |
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service; and National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC. | |
| Cooling Degree Days | |
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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, |
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January 1970 - December 1991 |
State, Regional, and National Monthly and Annual Cooling Degree Days Weighted by Population (1990 Census) January 1931 - December 1991. |
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January 1992 - December 1992 |
Climatological Data Annual Summary, Nebraska. |
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January 1994 - Present |
Monthly State, Regional, and National Cooling Degree Days Weighted by Population. |
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Asheville, NC. | |
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Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE. | |
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Notes: NA = Not Available. An asterisk (*) indicates an estimate. | |
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This report was updated on December 11, 2009. Typically, there is one month between updates. Energy Statistics Home | Contact Us | Conversion Chart | Glossary |