February was much warmer and drier than normal in Kansas. The statewide average temperature was 41.9 oF, which is 7.9 degrees warmer than normal. This places it as the 7th warmest since 1895. The January to February period, not surprisingly, also ranks in the top ten warmest as the 9th warmest. Overall, the East Central Division showed the greatest departure from normal with an average of 42.8 oF and a departure of 9.0 degrees. The West Central Division, which averaged 40.1 oF, was the closest to normal and was still 7.0 degrees warmer. The highest temperature reported was 90 oF at Liberal, Seward County, on the 11th. The lowest temperature reported was 0 oF at Brewster 4W, Thomas County, on the 4th. Not surprisingly, there were no record cold maximum or minimum temperatures. There were 155 new daily record high maximums, and 10 of those set new record highs for February. There also were 106 new daily record high minimum temperatures, of which 6 set new records for the month.
The warmer-than-normal temperatures were accompanied by much drier than usual conditions. The statewide average precipitation was 0.23 inches, or just 23 percent of normal. This ranks as the 14th driest February since 1895. The South Central Division came closest to normal with an average of 0.44 inches or 44 percent of normal. The Northwest Division was the driest with an average of just 0.01 inches, which was 2 percent of normal. Still, despite the dry pattern, 14 stations set daily record precipitation values. The greatest 24-hour precipitation total for a National Weather Service (NWS) station was 1.87 inches at Smileyberg, Butler County, on the 20th. The greatest 24-hour precipitation total for a Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) station was 1.93 inches at Arkansas City 3.1 N, Cowley County, also on the 20th. The stations with the greatest monthly totals: 2.03 inches at Winfield 3NE, Cowley County (NWS); 2.08 inches at Arkansas City 3.9 SSW, Cowley County (CoCoRaHS). While snow wasn’t a huge factor, there were still some snow events during the month. The greatest snowfall total for February at a National Weather Service station was 1.8 inches at Smith Center, Smith County. The greatest snowfall total for the month at a CoCoRaHS station was 2.5 inches at Phillipsburg 5.7 E, Phillips County.
The month was again calm as far as severe weather events. There were no reports of tornadoes, hail or high winds. The biggest concern was the increase in extreme fire weather days, with the potential for wildfires.
The lower-than-normal precipitation resulted in worsening conditions in the U.S. Drought Monitor. The biggest deterioration occurred in the eastern parts of the state, where February precipitation is generally higher and deficits accumulate much more quickly. Unfortunately, the updated March outlook does not indicate any immediate chance for improvement.
|
Table 1 |
||||||||||
|
Feb 2017 |
||||||||||
|
Kansas Climate Division Summary |
||||||||||
|
|
Precipitation (inches) |
Temperature (oF) |
||||||||
|
|
Feb 2017 |
2017 Jan through Feb |
|
|
Monthly Extremes |
|||||
|
Division |
Total |
Dep. 1 |
% Normal |
Total |
Dep. 1 |
% Normal |
Ave |
Dep. 1 |
Max |
Min |
|
Northwest |
0.01 |
-0.53 |
2 |
0.89 |
-0.10 |
89 |
39.3 |
7.7 |
87 |
0 |
|
West Central |
0.08 |
-0.51 |
15 |
0.89 |
-0.21 |
81 |
40.1 |
7.0 |
88 |
4 |
|
Southwest |
0.05 |
-0.50 |
10 |
1.78 |
0.76 |
171 |
43.3 |
7.7 |
90 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
North Central |
0.09 |
-0.73 |
10 |
1.40 |
-0.05 |
95 |
40.3 |
8.1 |
80 |
9 |
|
Central |
0.12 |
-0.89 |
10 |
1.69 |
-0.01 |
97 |
42.0 |
7.9 |
85 |
7 |
|
South Central |
0.57 |
-0.59 |
44 |
3.46 |
1.47 |
175 |
43.6 |
7.1 |
85 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northeast |
0.27 |
-0.85 |
24 |
1.33 |
-0.59 |
73 |
40.2 |
8.0 |
78 |
12 |
|
East Central |
0.24 |
-1.09 |
19 |
1.44 |
-0.84 |
63 |
42.8 |
9.0 |
82 |
11 |
|
Southeast |
0.55 |
-1.17 |
35 |
2.69 |
-0.28 |
93 |
45.4 |
8.9 |
85 |
13 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
STATE |
0.23 |
-0.76 |
19 |
1.83 |
0.10 |
109 |
41.9 |
7.9 |
90 |
0 |
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
1. Departure from 1981-2010 normal value |
||||||||||
|
2. State Highest temperature: 90 oF at Liberal, Seward County, on the 11th. |
||||||||||
|
3. State Lowest temperature: 0 oF at Brewster 4W, Thomas County, on the 4th. |
||||||||||
|
4. Greatest 24hr: 1.87 inches at Smileyberg, Butler County, on the 20th (NWS);1.93 inches at Arkansas City 3.1 N, Cowley County, on the 20th. |
||||||||||
|
Source: KSU Weather Data Library |
||||||||||
Mary Knapp, Weather Data Library
mknapp@ksu.edu
Tags: