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Drought Information

Continued deterioration

Although temperatures have moderated this week, precipitation amounts were lacking. The North Central division fared best, with an average of 1.26 inches or 76 percent of normal. The South Central division had the greatest shortfall, with an average of just 0.47 inches, or 31 percent of normal.

Preliminary statewide average precipitation for the first 15 days of August is 0.70 inches, which is only 46% of normal. High temperatures passed one hundred in all divisions. The highest temperature was 112 oF, recorded at Ashland on the 2nd.

The latest Drought Monitor showed the entire state in severe drought or worse. Extreme drought now covers 90 percent of the state, with over 63 percent of the state in exceptional drought. Despite the rain over the last several days, the area of exceptional drought is likely to expand. The latest Drought Outlook indicates drought conditions are expected to continue through November. The La Niña has ended and conditions favor the development of an El Niño by Fall. For September drier than normal conditions are expected in the eastern part of the state, with equal chances for above or below average precipitation in the rest of the state. Temperatures are expected to continue above average.

Below are the latest Drought Monitor and Kansas Drought conditions. Also shown are the Drought Outlook, the precipitation need to end the drought, the 8-14 day precipitation outlook, the September precipitation outlook, and EASAL vegetative condition map: