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Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Dodge City, KS

000
AXUS73 KDDC 260200 CCA
DGTDDC

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
900 PM CDT SAT MAY 25 2013

...DROUGHT WORSENS...

OVERVIEW...

THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR ISSUED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE ON MAY 21ST SHOWS A WORSENING DROUGHT ACROSS MUCH OF
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. AREAS ALONG AND WEST FROM LANE
COUNTY TO MEADE COUNTY ARE IN D4 (EXCEPTIONAL) DROUGHT. AREAS ALONG
AND EAST OF TREGO COUNTY TO COMANCHE COUNTY ARE IN D3 (EXTREME)
DROUGHT CONDITIONS. THE ONLY COUNTY THAT IS IN D2 (SEVERE) DROUGHT
IS BARBER COUNTY AND IMMEDIATE BORDERS SURROUNDING IT. 6 MONTH
PRECIPITATION DEFICITS ARE 4.24 INCHES AT GARDEN CITY...3.45 INCHES
AT DODGE CITY...AND 3.08 INCHES AT PRATT. THESE VALUES ARE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REST OF THE REGION.

CURRENT ENSO STATE...

EQUATORIAL SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE NEAR AVERAGE ACROSS THE
PACIFIC OCEAN. MODELS SUGGEST THAT ENSO NEUTRAL CONDITIONS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH LATE SUMMER. IN ADDITION...THE COOL PHASE OF THE
PACIFIC DECADAL OSCILLATION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AS WELL. THESE
TWO CLIMATE SIGNALS PARTIALLY SUGGEST A WARMER AND DRIER SUMMER
ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS.

HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...

CURRENTLY THERE IS VERY LITTLE WATER FLOWING IN THE STREAM AND CREEK BEDS
FOR THE LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS DROUGHT. ANY FLOWS ALONG THE
ARKANSAS RIVER IN EXTREME WESTERN KANSAS ARE THE RESULT OF RELEASES
FROM JOHN MARTIN RESERVOIR.

FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...

FUELS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF WILDFIRE DEVELOPMENT AS DRY CONDITIONS
CONTINUE.

AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...

SOIL MOISTURE DEFICITS ARE AROUND 3.14 INCHES FOR WESTERN KANSAS PER
CPC THROUGH APRIL 2013.

OUTLOOK...

NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE DROUGHT IS EXPECTED. HIT OR MISS THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT WEEK...HOWEVER...THE OVERALL TREND IN
THE DROUGHT IS TO CONTINUE OR WORSEN.

$$