By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Any signs of precipitation are a good thing for most parts of Kansas. Last week, nearly an inch of rain fell on parts of Central Kansas within a 24-hour period. The National Weather Service in Wichita recently released its winter seasonal hazard outlook. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Chance Hayes said there may be some good news for the area from December through February.
"Typically in the winter months, we see around two inches, give or take in Central Kansas," he said. "We're expecting just a little bit more of that. It could be in the form of liquid, but it could also be in the form of frozen like snow or maybe even some sleet or ice."
The report indicated some spots in Kansas saw 150-300 percent above-normal precipitation amounts from August through October, while most areas, including south-central Kansas, saw well below normal averages. Some saw only 25 percent of normal rainfall totals in that span. Hayes said along with better chances of moisture in the next few months, the temperature should remain normal.
"It's generally going to be high temperatures averaging somewhere in the lower to middle 40s as we go through the winter, and the low temperatures in the upper teens to lower 20s. We're expecting those temperatures to be somewhat average across that timeframe."
Persistent dry conditions could lead to out-of-season fire concerns as the winter months approach. Hayes also noted that dry conditions will continue to cause streamflow issues in Central Kansas.
"When you look at the daily stream flow conditions, notice much of Central Kansas is in low, below the 10th percentile," he said. "That means the rivers, creeks, and streams are extremely dry. That could cause problems, potentially, for any communities that draw their water resources from those areas."