Ralston, Nebraska Weather
Prairie lightning bugs rise. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Ralston weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Heavy Rain56%2.4″82°67°—
- FridayJun 5Thunderstorm72%0.02″85°68°+3°
- SaturdayJun 6Heavy Showers72%1.1″87°68°+2°
- SundayJun 7Showers58%0.23″78°67°-9°
- MondayJun 8Overcast34%—87°65°+9°
- TuesdayJun 9Thunderstorm27%—92°69°+5°
- WednesdayJun 10Thunderstorm11%—95°75°+3°
PM2.5 at 12.5 µg/m³ (AQI 57) with a 0.94 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust. AQI down 7 over the last 6 hours (steady decline since this morning).
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 30. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 30
- UV peak
- 3.3 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 7
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 12.5 µg/m³ (AQI 57) with a 0.94 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.94
- Wind
- calm
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
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
- 4:57 AM
- Moonset
- 2:23 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Prairie lightning bugs rise
Ralston at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 4°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 23 (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 — Ralston
SPC has placed Ralston in the Slight Risk category for severe thunderstorms tomorrow.
- TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
- TOMORROWSLGTSlight Risk
- DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
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
Ralston's warmest month is July (~78°F mean) and its coldest is January (~24°F). Rainfall peaks in May (4.7 inches) and bottoms out in January (0.8 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24° | 0.8″ | 2 |
| February | 29° | 0.9″ | 3 |
| March | 41° | 1.8″ | 4 |
| April | 53° | 3.2″ | 6 |
| May | 64° | 4.7″ | 8 |
| June | 74° | 4.4″ | 7 |
| July | 78° | 3.5″ | 6 |
| August | 76° | 4.6″ | 6 |
| September | 68° | 3.0″ | 5 |
| October | 54° | 2.3″ | 4 |
| November | 40° | 1.4″ | 3 |
| December | 29° | 1.2″ | 3 |
Regional context
Ralston sits within a warm-summer humid continental climate region — a cohort that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Omaha, NE, Bellevue, NE, Fremont, NE, Norfolk, NE, Papillion, NE.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Ralston?
- Ralston's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Ralston?
- May is the wettest month with about 4.7 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 32 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Ralston?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 78°F.
- What is the coldest month in Ralston?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 24°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Ralston?
- 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 Ralston get?
- Ralston averages about 57 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Ralston?
- Ralston'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
Ralston, Nebraska sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate zone. January means hover near 24°F while July averages 78°F — a 54°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, Ralston receives about 32 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 57 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (41.2°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.