The most recent map from the U.S Drought Monitor.Last month was the fifth wettest June on record, and that has helped ease drought conditions across Kansas. Assistant State Climatologist Mary Knapp says June was a critical month, because in parts of Kansas it’s normally the wettest month. A lack of June rain would have meant Kansas missed a good chance to reduce the drought. July is also a wet month in some areas, and Knapp says possible cooler weather this month could help further reduce the drought.
“If you’ve got those really hot days that we saw last year, what rain falls can quickly evaporate. A storm system that drops a tenth of an inch, that moisture’s likely to be lost before it can do any good,” says Knapp.
But virtually all of Kansas is still experiencing a shortage of moisture. Knapp says the recent wet weather has not been enough to overcome a series of very dry months.