September weather summary for Kansas: Strong contrasts continue

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Temperatures began the month of September much warmer-than-average across the state. During the first ten days of the month, many locations recorded readings over 100 degrees F. For some locations, these were the warmest readings of the year. Not surprisingly, the month averaged warmer than normal. It was the 13th warmest September in the 119 years from 1895 to present. The Northwest Division average showed the greatest departure. The divisional average was  5 degrees above average. The Southeast Division came closest to average.

Statewide, the average precipitation was 2.63 inches, which 109% of normal.  As percent of normal, the West Central Division ranked the highest at 222 percent. The average for the division was 3.56 inches. All the western divisions saw totals above average. This contributed to the elimination of exceptional drought conditions in the state. However, much of the west remains in extreme to moderate drought. Meanwhile, the East Central and Southeastern Divisions had much-below-normal precipitation for the month. Several extremely heavy rain events occurred in the state.

The continued moisture into September allowed for normal conditions to remain on the Drought Monitor, with some improvements in the western divisions. These have been limited, as rainfall for the year continues to be well below average. Warmer-than-average temperatures have somewhat limited the beneficial of the above average rainfall, and severe to exceptional drought conditions remain throughout the western region. The Seasonal Drought Outlook suggests continued improvement on the eastern edges of the drought region. The Seasonal Drought Outlook and the monthly outlook for October call for continuing drought in the western third of the state. Given the fact that we are moving into the drier part of the year, even normal precipitation will have minimal impact on the long term deficits in the region. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is expected to remain neutral. For October, the temperature outlook is neutral. The precipitation outlook calls for a greater chance of drier than normal conditions in October. The mid-term outlook of 8-14 days calls for average temperatures through the 17th of October. Precipitation outlook calls for greater chance of above-normal conditions across the State.

 

 

 

 

September 2013

Kansas Climate Division Summary

 

Precipitation (inches)

Temperature (oF)

 

September 2013

Jan - September 2013

 

 

Monthly Extremes

Division

Total

Dep. 1

% Normal

Total

Dep. 1

% Normal

Ave

Dep. 1

Max

Min

Northwest

3.13

1.61

206

13.08

-5.33

71

70.3

5.0

107

34

West Central

3.55

1.95

222

20.58

-3.34

81

70.9

4.5

106

39

Southwest

2.14

0.52

132

24.19

-5.08

76

72.6

4.0

103

40

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Central

2.19

-0.44

83

14.66

-3.23

84

72.2

4.2

106

43

Central

2.26

-0.25

90

27.95

2.96

110

73.2

4.2

106

40

South Central

2.17

-0.43

83

24.77

-6.49

120

73.5

3.3

102

40

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Northeast

3.28

-0.33

91

13.12

-3.94

83

71.4

4.0

104

40

East Central

2.41

-1.25

66

31.46

5.39

78

71.8

3.5

104

41

Southeast

2.41

-1.60

60

37.09

3.67

110

72.4

2.8

100

42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATE

2.63

-0.02

109

23.31

-1.31

91

72.0

3.9

107

34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Departure from 1981-2010 normal value

2. Highest temperature of 107 oF at Alton 2SW (Osborne County), Norton Dam (Norton County), and Webster Dam (Mitchell County) on the 8th.

3. Lowest temperature of 34 oF at Brewster 4W on the 11th

4. Greatest rainfall: 8.32 inches at Goodland 17.3 SSW (CoCoRaHS);  6.80 Inches at Rossville (Shawnee County).

Source: KSU Weather Data Library

 

Mary Knapp, Weather Data Library
mknapp@ksu.edu


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