HASTINGS, NE — Despite a recent batch of severe storms, the National Weather Service says drought is persisting in Central Nebraska.

According to a drought monitor report published Thursday, most of the region is in the severe drought category, which is the third most severe out of five options. The NWS says rain totals over the last week were highly variable with the majority of areas registering 0.25-1.25 inches. The precipitation was enough to prompt one category of improvement on the drought scale in some places.

The severe drought category descriptions says, “Crop or pasture losses likely; fire risk very high; water shortages common; water restrictions imposed.”

In the near future, the NWS predicts the region to receive an inch or less of rain over the next week and then endure dry and hot weather the following week.

Over the past year, most cities in the region received between 67% and 76% of the 30-year normal amount of rain. Elwood had the lowest Nebraska total listed by the NWS at 17.27 inches.

The Climate Prediction Center’s three-month outlook forecasts that drought will persist or worsen across all of Nebraska.