Warm humid weather was the rule for Kansas this July, although the departures from normal weren’t as great as in June. On the temperature side, this was the 47th warmest July since 1896, which places it in the middle range of the distribution. The statewide average temperature was 79.4 degrees F, or 0.8 degrees F warmer than normal. The North Central Division was closest to normal for the month. Its average was 79.2 degrees F, or just 0.2 degrees warmer than normal. The warmest division was the Southwest Division where average temperature was 80.2 degrees F, or 1.3 degrees warmer than normal. There were only three events that tied daily record high temperatures. In contrast, 30 new low maximum temperature records were set. Most of the departure came in the low temperatures. There were 23 new record warm minimum (overnight low, usually) temperatures set, and 32 records tied. Of those, 2 tied record warm minimum temperatures for the month of July. The highest temperature recorded for the month was 109 degrees F, set at Salina on the 22nd. The coldest temperature recorded for the month was 41 degrees F at Horton, Brown County, on the 13th.
Statewide rainfall for July was above normal; however the Northwest Division missed out on the extra rainfall. The Northwest Division averaged 2.23 inches or just 66 percent of normal. In contrast, the Southeast Division average 7.57 inches or 187 percent of normal. This July ranks as the 18th wettest in the 122 years of records. The wettest July on record occurred in 1993, when the statewide average total was 9.28 inches. With the overall wet pattern, there were 107 new record daily rainfall totals. Of those, two reports, on July 2nd, set new monthly records as well: Ulysses with 2.89 inches and Wichita with 5.72 inches. The greatest 24-hour total for a NWS station was 6.53 inches at Easton, Leavenworth County, on the 3rd. The greatest 24 hour total for a CoCoRaHS station was 8.09 inches at Bel Aire 0.5 WSW, Sedgwick County, also on the 3rd. Highest monthly totals: 11.47 inches at Virgil, Greenwood County (NWS); and 11.70 inches at Ingalls 6.2 WNW, Gray County (CoCoRaHS).
With the wetter pattern than seen in June, there were also more severe weather reports. There were eight tornadoes reported in July. The most severe of these struck Eureka on the 7th. Fortunately there were no deaths or injuries reported with the event. There was a total of 56 hail reports, which was similar to June’s total of 51 events. The most common severe weather report was damaging winds. There were 180 damaging wind reports in the month.
Despite the wetter than average conditions statewide, there was an expansion of abnormally dry conditions in the northwest. This region of the state missed out on most of the precipitation events. The wetter pattern in the eastern third of the state reduced the abnormally dry conditions there. The Drought Monitor issued in June listed just over 20 percent of the state as being abnormally dry; the latest Drought Monitor places the total in abnormally dry conditions at just over 13 percent. The precipitation outlook for August is neutral, with it being equally likely to have above- or below-normal precipitation. Statewide, the outlook is for an increased chance of warmer-than-normal temperatures. This is likely to follow July’s pattern, with the departure from normal consisting mostly as warmer-than-normal low temperatures.
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July 16 |
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Kansas Climate Division Summary |
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Precipitation (inches) |
Temperature (oF) |
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July 16 |
2016 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 |
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Northwest |
2.33 |
-1.17 |
66 |
13.22 |
-1.05 |
92 |
77.9 |
1.1 |
106 |
51 |
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West Central |
3.73 |
0.28 |
109 |
14.19 |
0.39 |
102 |
78.6 |
1.2 |
107 |
55 |
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Southwest |
4.89 |
2.11 |
176 |
16.80 |
3.97 |
130 |
80.2 |
1.3 |
107 |
54 |
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North Central |
4.26 |
0.16 |
103 |
18.92 |
0.79 |
104 |
79.2 |
0.2 |
105 |
54 |
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Central |
5.20 |
1.26 |
132 |
20.06 |
1.03 |
106 |
80.6 |
0.6 |
109 |
59 |
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South Central |
5.04 |
1.52 |
143 |
20.36 |
0.21 |
101 |
81.8 |
1.4 |
106 |
53 |
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Northeast |
4.87 |
0.53 |
111 |
20.75 |
-1.14 |
94 |
78.1 |
0.3 |
102 |
41 |
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East Central |
5.72 |
1.44 |
133 |
21.05 |
-2.59 |
88 |
79.3 |
0.8 |
100 |
61 |
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Southeast |
7.57 |
3.53 |
187 |
24.30 |
-1.49 |
94 |
80.1 |
0.7 |
101 |
58 |
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STATE |
4.94 |
1.22 |
133 |
18.98 |
0.19 |
102 |
79.5 |
0.8 |
109 |
41 |
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1. Departure from 1981-2010 normal value |
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2. State Highest temperature: 109 oF at Salina, Saline County on the 22nd. |
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3. State Lowest temperature: 41 oF at Horton, Brown County, on the 13th. |
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4. Greatest 24hr rainfall: 6.53 inches at Easton, Leavenworth County, on the 3rd (NWS); 8.09 inches at Bel Aire 0.5 WSW, Sedgwick County on the 3rd (CoCoRaHS). |
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Source: KSU Weather Data Library |
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Mary Knapp, Weather Data Library
mknapp@ksu.edu
Chip Redmond, Weather Data Library
christopherredmond@ksu.edu
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