Overall, July was very close to normal in July. Average precipitation was 4.61 inches or 125 percent of normal. The Northwest Division had the lowest average precipitation at 3.07 inches or 84 percent of normal. The other divisions with below-normal precipitation were the North Central and Central Divisions. In the Central Division, the average was 3.76 inches or 95 percent of normal, while the North Central Division averaged 4.10 inches or 98 percent of normal. Both the Southwest and South Central divisions had 176 percent of normal precipitation, but the average amount was quite different. The Southwest Division averaged 4.65 inches while the South Central Division average 6.02 inches. This ranks as the 25th wettest July on record. The greatest monthly precipitation was 13.80 inches at Sun City, in Barber County (NWS) and 12.78 inches at Topeka (CoCoRaHS). While 71 new daily precipitation records were set, none of these were new records for July.
Temperatures were very close to normal. The statewide average temperature was 78.8 degrees F, just 0.1 degree warmer than normal for the month. There were no new record high temperatures set, and only 4 records tied during the month. In contrast, there were 84 new record cold high temperatures, and 22 records that tied. On the low temperature side, the opposite prevailed with 16 new record warm low temperatures and 22 records tied. There was one new record low temperature for the month: 41 degrees F at Hoxie (Sheridan County) on the 28th. Not surprisingly, that was also the coldest reading across the state during July. The Southeast Division was the warmest, with an average of 80.0 degrees F, or 0.7 degrees warmer than normal. In contrast, the North Central Division was the coolest with an average of 78.4 degrees F, or 0.6 degrees cooler than normal. The Northeastern Division averaged 77.9 degrees F, exactly normal. The warmest reading was 108 degrees F and occurred at two different locations and dates: Lakin (Kearny County) on the 14th and Abilene (Dickinson County) on the 24th. While the temperatures weren’t particularly outside the normal range, late-planted spring crops such as corn and soybeans that had limited root development, continue to show stress.
Tornado activity continued to decline. Preliminary data indicates there were 7 tornadoes, compared to 15 tornadoes reported during June and 99 in May. Hail reports were also fewer, with 55 reports this month versus 83 in June and 108 in May. There was an increase in damaging wind reports with 114 damaging wind reports this monthly, 65 reports in June and only 52 reports last May.
Drought conditions deteriorated slightly, which was not unexpected in portions of the Northwest, North Central, and Central divisions, where rainfall for July was less than normal. The only remaining moderate drought area is in Northwest and North Central Kansas, with an expanding area of abnormally dry conditions in the Central. Thirty seven counties in western Kansas remain in drought watch status according to the latest advisory from the Kansas Water Office. A return to normal or above-normal precipitation is needed to sustain improvements. Some long-term hydrological deficits are in place affecting some water supplies and reservoirs. For example, Norton, Cedar Bluff, Kirwin, and Webster reservoirs are all at less than 75 percent of conservation pool.
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Table 1 |
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July 2015 |
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Kansas Climate Division Summary |
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Precipitation (inches) |
Temperature (oF) |
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July 2015 |
2015 Jan through July |
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Monthly Extremes |
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Division |
Total |
Dep. 1 |
% Normal |
Total |
Dep. 1 |
% Normal |
Ave |
Dep. 1 |
Max |
Min |
|
Northwest |
3.07 |
-0.42 |
86 |
13.13 |
-1.03 |
93 |
76.4 |
-0.4 |
107 |
41 |
|
West Central |
3.67 |
0.23 |
108 |
14.05 |
0.36 |
103 |
77.8 |
0.4 |
105 |
49 |
|
Southwest |
4.65 |
1.88 |
173 |
18.34 |
5.61 |
143 |
79.4 |
0.5 |
108 |
49 |
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
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North Central |
4.10 |
-0.01 |
98 |
17.33 |
-0.68 |
94 |
78.4 |
-0.6 |
106 |
51 |
|
Central |
3.76 |
-0.18 |
95 |
17.66 |
-1.25 |
92 |
80.1 |
0.2 |
108 |
50 |
|
South Central |
6.02 |
2.49 |
173 |
23.42 |
3.39 |
117 |
80.5 |
0.1 |
107 |
57 |
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Northeast |
6.08 |
1.70 |
138 |
26.01 |
4.24 |
119 |
77.9 |
0.0 |
101 |
56 |
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East Central |
4.88 |
0.58 |
113 |
23.65 |
0.14 |
99 |
78.6 |
0.2 |
101 |
57 |
|
Southeast |
4.97 |
0.90 |
123 |
24.41 |
-1.26 |
94 |
80.0 |
0.7 |
100 |
60 |
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STATE |
4.61 |
0.88 |
126 |
19.85 |
1.18 |
107 |
78.8 |
0.1 |
108 |
41 |
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1. Departure from 1981-2010 normal value |
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Source: KSU Weather Data Library |
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Mary Knapp, Weather Data Library
mknapp@ksu.edu
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