The National Weather Service said drought conditions have eased over the past two months in northern and eastern areas of Kansas, but they have worsened in areas of central, southern and western Kansas.
In its monthly climate report, the Weather Service said precipitation across the state in May was generally below average, but some areas of far southern and far northern Kansas had above average rainfall.
South central Kansas remains under severe drought conditions, with some areas experiencing moderate drought. Extreme drought conditions are reported in some areas of western and west central Kansas.
The weekend forecast includes rain and thunderstorms for much of the state, with southern and western Kansas seeing the most rainfall. The Weather Service expects continued drought improvement and even some drought removal across southwestern and central areas of Kansas through August.
A transition to a La Niña weather pattern is expected this summer. La Niña sometimes favors warmer and drier conditions during the summer and fall across the Kansas region. The forecast for significant wildland fire potential will be above normal for western Kansas through July and August.
