Spring ended on a cool note across the state. The mean temperature for the state was 61.3 degrees F, which was 2.5 degrees cooler than normal. While on the cool side of the normal distribution, it was only the 27th coolest since 1895. The Southeast Division had the largest departure with a mean temperature 62.6 degrees F, or -3.1 degrees cooler than average. The North Central Division was closest to normal, with a mean temperature of 61.7 degrees F or -1.8 degrees cooler than normal. There were no daily record high temperatures, and only two record warm low temperatures. On the cold side of the record, there were 77 record low maximum temperatures and 5 record low minimum temperatures during the month. The warmest high temperature was 94 degrees F recorded at Medicine Lodge (Barber County) on the 27th. The coldest temperature was 28 degrees F recorded at Sharon Springs (Wallace County) on the 2nd. The low temperatures so late in the season brought concerns of damage to vegetation that moved out of dormancy early. This was especially true for winter wheat.
The wet conditions that were common in late April continued into May, and spread eastward. The month ended almost exactly at normal precipitation. The North Central and Northeastern divisions were the wettest: 151 percent of normal for the North Central Division and 133 percent of normal for the Northeast. The Southwest Division was the driest, averaging just 1.22 inches or 44 percent of normal. Despite that dryness, the year-to-date average for the division is still at 113 percent of normal. May ranks as the 33rd wettest May on record. The greatest monthly total was 16.21 inches at Rock, Cowley County (NWS). The greatest total for CoCoRaHS stations was 11.98 inches at Hunter, Mitchell County. There were 92 new daily record precipitation totals. Twenty-one of those were record high amounts for May. None of these set monthly records.
Along with the increased rainfall pattern there was an increase in severe weather reports. There were 59 tornadoes reported, as well as 104 reports of damaging wind. The most common severe weather report was hail. There were 223 reports of hail during the month.
The wet month resulted in dramatic improvements in the drought status. The end of April saw 43 percent of the state as drought free. The last Drought Monitor issued in May saw the entire state labeled drought-free. The precipitation outlook for June is for wetter-than-average conditions. However, the short-term outlooks are for drier-than-average conditions for the first half of the month statewide. If the drier conditions persist, abnormally dry conditions are likely to reappear in the Drought Monitor, particularly in the western divisions.
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May 2016 |
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Kansas Climate Division Summary |
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Precipitation (inches) |
Temperature (oF) |
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May 2016 |
2016 Jan through May |
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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 |
2.43 |
-1.05 |
69 |
9.31 |
1.37 |
117 |
58.2 |
-2.4 |
90 |
29 |
|
West Central |
1.80 |
-1.25 |
59 |
7.99 |
0.46 |
105 |
59.0 |
-2.6 |
92 |
28 |
|
Southwest |
1.28 |
-1.49 |
44 |
7.80 |
0.94 |
113 |
61.2 |
-2.9 |
93 |
29 |
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North Central |
6.32 |
2.22 |
151 |
12.70 |
2.50 |
123 |
61.7 |
-1.8 |
90 |
36 |
|
Central |
5.68 |
1.38 |
131 |
12.76 |
1.73 |
117 |
62.2 |
-2.4 |
89 |
36 |
|
South Central |
5.27 |
0.83 |
115 |
12.43 |
0.55 |
104 |
63.0 |
-2.7 |
92 |
32 |
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Northeast |
6.52 |
1.70 |
133 |
14.78 |
2.36 |
118 |
62.0 |
-2.0 |
88 |
35 |
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East Central |
6.19 |
0.99 |
117 |
13.82 |
0.00 |
99 |
62.1 |
-2.4 |
88 |
31 |
|
Southeast |
5.88 |
0.05 |
102 |
14.13 |
-1.74 |
90 |
62.6 |
-3.1 |
89 |
35 |
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STATE |
4.52 |
0.31 |
100 |
11.64 |
0.81 |
108 |
61.3 |
-2.5 |
93 |
28 |
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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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