According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, November marked the sixth consecutive month of severe (or worse) drought across this six-county portion of North Central Kansas, as the summer and fall of 2012 continued marking its place in history as one of the worst droughts in several decades. Although damage to the primary 2012 crop season had already been done before the month began, November actually registered as the driest month since May in terms of percent-of-normal precipitation. Throughout the month, all six counties remained under a federally-designated drought disaster and also a state-issued drought emergency. According to U.S. Drought Monitor weekly issuances, category D4 exceptional drought (the worst-possible classification) remained firmly in place across Phillips and Rooks counties along with the majority of Smith and Osborne counties. Farther east, a mix of category D2 severe and category D3 extreme drought persisted in Jewell and Mitchell Counties. Taking a closer look at November precipitation, the vast majority of the six-county area measured less than 0.25-inch, compared to November normals generally between 0.85-1.25. In fact, several NWS cooperative observer sites measured zero precipitation for the month, including those in or near Long Island, Logan, Plainville and Palco. On the wetter side of things, Smith Center (0.36) and Lebanon (0.51) were the only cooperative observer sites to report more than one-quarter inch for the month, all of which fell during thunderstorms on the 10th.
Over the longer range period from May through late November, most of North Central Kansas only received between 35-60 percent of normal precipitation. As just one example, Logan measured only 6.43 during this nearly six month span...or 38% of the normal amount of 16.99. For the week ending November 18th, the Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report from the USDA indicated that topsoil moisture across the north central district rated 63% short to very short, a 14% degradation versus five weeks prior. Subsoil moisture in the north central district rated 83% short to very short. Across the state as a whole, 18% of the emerging winter wheat crop rated poor to very poor, 46% fair and only 30% good to excellent. State-averaged range and pasture conditions were reportedly 81% poor to very poor, holding firm as the worst conditions since rating began in 1995. Both hay and stock water supplies remained around 70 percent short to very short, values which had held fairly steady for the past three to four months.

Drought in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MITCHELL, KANSAS
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in OSBORNE, KANSAS
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in ROOKS, KANSAS
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SMITH, KANSAS
From 01-NOV-12 00:00:00 to 30-NOV-12 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor