Emerald, Nebraska Weather
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Emerald weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast20%—85°63°—
- ThursdayJun 4Showers48%0.27″78°66°-7°
- FridayJun 5Thunderstorm66%0.01″91°65°+13°
- SaturdayJun 6Showers66%—88°69°-3°
- SundayJun 7Light Showers57%—80°69°-8°
- MondayJun 8Overcast31%—85°68°+5°
- TuesdayJun 9Thunderstorm14%—94°71°+9°
Ozone at AQI 33. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~98%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 33. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~98%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 33
- UV peak
- 0.0 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 4
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 5.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 5.9 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.90
- Wind
- breezy
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- background
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 4:59 AM
- Moonset
- 2:28 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Fireflies pulse through the magnolias
Emerald at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 73°F — typical for the season
- Last frost: April 21 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Emerald
SPC has placed Emerald in the Slight Risk category for severe thunderstorms day after tomorrow.
- TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
- TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
- DAY 3SLGTSlight Risk
Scattered severe storms possible. A few tornadoes, hail, and damaging wind gusts possible.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
Emerald's warmest month is July (~78°F mean) and its coldest is January (~25°F). Rainfall peaks in May (4.9 inches) and bottoms out in January (0.7 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 0.7″ | 2 |
| February | 30° | 0.9″ | 3 |
| March | 41° | 1.6″ | 4 |
| April | 52° | 2.7″ | 5 |
| May | 63° | 4.9″ | 8 |
| June | 74° | 4.5″ | 7 |
| July | 78° | 3.3″ | 6 |
| August | 76° | 3.3″ | 6 |
| September | 67° | 2.9″ | 5 |
| October | 54° | 2.1″ | 4 |
| November | 40° | 1.3″ | 2 |
| December | 29° | 1.2″ | 3 |
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Emerald?
- Emerald's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Emerald?
- May is the wettest month with about 4.9 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 29 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Emerald?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 78°F.
- What is the coldest month in Emerald?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 25°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Emerald?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Emerald get?
- Emerald averages about 54 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Emerald?
- Emerald's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Emerald, Nebraska sits in a humid subtropical climate zone. January means hover near 25°F while July averages 78°F — a 53°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, Emerald receives about 29 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 54 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (40.8°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.