The National Weather Service said record rainfall in November has “drastically improved” drought conditions across large portions of Kansas.
The NWS Wichita office said in its monthly climate report that November precipitation was well above average for most across the state, with many locations recording one of their wettest Novembers on record.
As of late November, 38 percent of Kansas was considered abnormally dry, primarily in extreme northwest, central and southeastern areas of the state. The report said 31 percent of the state, mainly across north center and northeastern Kansas, was under moderate drought. No drought conditions were reported in 30 percent of the state, mainly in southwest and south central Kansas.
The Weather Service’s drought map had most of Sedgwick County and all of Kingman county under no drought conditions, with abnormally dry conditions across the rest of south central Kansas. Wichita officials have cautioned that the drought is not over, and Cheney Reservoir remains seven and a half feet below its conservation level.
Weather Service officials said very little to no precipitation is expected across Kansas for early December, and a transition to a La Niña weather pattern is expected soon. That should persist through late winter and early spring. La Niña sometimes favors warmer and drier conditions during the winter across Kansas.
