The Kansas Ag-Climate Update is a joint effort between our climate and extension specialists. Every month the update includes a brief summary of that month, agronomic impacts, relevant maps and graphs, 1-month temperature and precipitation outlooks, monthly extremes, and notable highlights.
October 2022: Drought conditions persisted and expanded in Kansas
The statewide average temperature for October was 57.7°F, or 1.5° above normal. This ranks as the 41st warmest October out of the last 128 years, dating back to 1895. Divisional departures from normal ranged from +0.3° in the northeast to +2.8° in the northwest. Combined with August and September, the average temperature was 69.6°, or 2.2° above normal (Fig. 1), and ranks as the 20th warmest.
The statewide average precipitation for October was 0.69”, or 1.63” below normal (Fig. 1). This was the 15th driest October on record. The average 3-month total precipitation for August through October was 3.25”, or 5.10” below normal, and ranks as the driest August-October on record. The previous record was 3.55” in 1956. This 3-month period ranks as top 7 driest in all climate divisions, but ranks 1st in both east central (4.86”, old record 5.21”) and south central (2.15”, old record 2.85”).
Figure 1. Departures from normal temperature (°F) and precipitation (inches) for October 2022.
View the entire October 2022 Ag-Climate Update, including the accompanying maps and graphics (not shown in this eUpdate article), at http://climate.k-state.edu/ag/updates/
Xiaomao Lin, State Climatologist