Drought — Jewell, Kansas

2023-07-01 to 2023-07-31 · Jewell, Kansas

Wider weather episode

During July 2023, the vast majority of this six-county North Central Kansas area spent the entire month assigned at least Severe Drought (D2) by the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), with all but a tiny fraction of the domain mired in at least Moderate Drought (D1) through the month as a long-term drought situation persisted. July marked the 18th-consecutive month with at-least-D2 plaguing portions of the local area, and the fourth-straight month with at least limited coverage of worst-off Extreme Drought (D3) and Exceptional Drought (D4). For North Central Kansas as a whole, July rainfall was somewhat variable, but fortunately few areas were overly-dry (see below for more specific precipitation details). Focusing on county-level USDM drought category specifics during, the majority of North Central Kansas remained stable/unchanged for the month. However, pockets of the four western-most counties (especially Rooks/Osborne) realized one-category improvement (including the removal of D4 from western Rooks), while a small portion of northern Jewell County saw one-category degradation. Digging into the details, the month began with the drought situation standing as follows: 1) Worst-off D4 lingered within western Rooks County...2) D3 encompassed most of primarily Osborne, Rooks and western Mitchell counties...3) D2 prevailed across most of the remainder of the area...4) Small zones of locally-best-off D1 resided in northwestern Phillips and southeastern Mitchell counties. During July, most categorical changes occurred during the first half of the month, including a modest reduction in D3 over primarily Rooks/Osborne counties and a small decrease of D1 in northwestern Phillips County. On a negative note, parts of northeastern Jewell County received a one-category degradation to D3. During the latter half of the month, the only change was the aforementioned one-category improvement (removal of D4) from western Rooks County. By month's end, the drought situation had evolved to the following: 1) Despite a slight reduction in its areal coverage, D3 was still present over much of Rooks, Osborne and western Mitchell counties, along with small parts of Phillips, Smith and Jewell...2) D2 still prevailed across the majority of the area...3) Limited zones of D1 remained over northwestern Phillips and far southeastern Mitchell counties...4) A small part of northwestern Phillips County boasted best-off D0 (marking the first time since late-May that any part of North Central Kansas was void of a D1-or-worse drought category).

Turning to July 2023 rainfall details, modest variability was the overall theme. The majority of North Central Kansas registered between 2.20-4.30 inches...generally 50-100 percent of normal. Unfortunately, at least three-fourths of the area registered at least slightly-below normal amounts, but thankfully no more than 10 percent of the domain checked in with less than half of normal (few places markedly dry). Per around 25 NWS and CoCoRaHS observers, some of the lowest July tallies included: 1.14 in Formoso, 2.09 in Smith Center, 2.19 at Lovewell Dam and 2.65 near Burr Oak. On the more fortunate (but limited in scope) side of the measuring stick, a few of the highest, near-to-slightly-above-normal tallies featured: 6.16 at Kirwin Dam, 5.84 in Beloit, 5.32 at Plainville and 4.34 in Cawker City.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1114562. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.