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.
February 2023: Exceptional drought persisted in southwestern Kansas
The average temperature for February was 35.4°F, 0.4°F above normal. This ranked as the 48th warmest year on record out of 129 years of records, dating back to 1895. The three western divisions finished the month below normal, while all divisions in the eastern two-thirds of Kansas were above normal.
Average precipitation for February was 1.12 inches, or 0.15 inches above normal. This ranked as the 40th wettest February on record. Five of the nine divisions had above normal precipitation: northwest, west central, and the three eastern divisions. It was the 10th wettest February on record in northeast Kansas, where nearly twice the normal precipitation was received. East central Kansas had its 16th wettest February. Both of these divisions averaged around 2.2 inches of precipitation for the month.
Figure 1. Departures from normal temperature (°F) and precipitation (inches) for February 2023.
View the entire February 2023 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
xlin@ksu.edu