Wrapping up May - June preview

How often do you see northwest Kansas get more rain than everybody else? It's a rare occurrence for sure, but this month of May was quite wet (again) for some areas.

Take a look at the following maps. One shows how much rain fell during the month, while the other shows how far above or below most areas ended up. And generally speaking, most of the rainfall amounts from around Kansas were near normal for the month. The HUGE rains in April pushed us way ahead, and May just kept us safely above average.

Observed rainfall - May

Difference from normal

It still amazes me that Dodge City is about 4 inches away from reaching the typical average annual rain, and we aren't even halfway through the year yet. Here are the latest May rainfall stats from around the area.

Salina Rainfall Stats:

• May = 3.71" / -0.69"
• Year = 13.08" / +1.44"

 In case you missed it in my blog last week, I'm expecting the first half of June to have several days with near to below normal temperatures. That would likely mean more days with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s. There's good chance we will be sticking with the stormy weather pattern too. One piece of data shows the central Plains could be getting some decent rains in the first couple weeks of the month. I know this isn't what wheat farmers need or want right now, but it's something to watch for in the coming days.

As we approach the second half of the month, hotter weather and drier conditions should return. A large high pressure system may help to shut the faucet off. Time will tell for sure.

Severe chances this holiday weekend

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. The next two days (Friday and Saturday) do have chances for storms and some severe weather as well. So let's look a little closer at the timing.

Friday:
Most of the day will be storm free and should be a nice. But into the evening hours, we do expect severe storms to start in eastern Colorado and then move into western Kansas. How widespread the storms will be is still a bit in question. But as the storms move east into the overnight, the biggest concern will be some strong wind gusts. Storms should weaken with time through the night. But if you are camping, please be prepared for some scattered storms.

Saturday:
I think there will be some leftover rain around at the beginning of the day, and then during the afternoon, the best chances for storms will be off to the east of the Flint Hills. Some showers may clip southwest Kansas Saturday night, but those won't be severe.

Sunday & Monday: DRY!!!!!!! Enjoy!

Late week storms - early look at June

We are coasting into an extended weekend and it's the unofficial kick-off to summer. Summer isn't my favorite season, but I do love the warm nights and longer days. And I have to say, after the blistering heat of 2011 and 2012 (when we had 30 and 40 100° days), I get nervous when summer draws near. Many of us were very frustrated with the drought and the ongoing heat waves.

Early June Prediction:
An early look at June shows we should be in for cooler than normal weather, especially for the first half of the month. That would mean mostly highs in the 70s and low 80s, not 100 degree temperatures. That's not to say we couldn't have a 100° day, but it doesn't look that likely.

What about the precipitation? There are signs pointing toward active/wet weather for the beginning of the month, but as we get in closer to the middle of June we may be hitting a bit of a dry spell. A high pressure ridge may setup in the middle of the Plains closer to mid June.

Possible Weather Pattern June 17

Memorial Day weekend storm chances:
The next batch of storms will arrive later Thursday night. This will impact a small area of NW Kansas. Another chance for storms is coming Friday night, mainly to western Kansas, but those storms may drift east into the night. So if you plan to camp Friday night, some rain is possible. Severe weather isn't expected to be widespread.

Saturday:
Leftover showers are possible, but late in the day, rain chances will end from west to east.

Sunday/Monday:  Dry!