According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, June marked 13 months since moderate (or worse) drought initially took hold within this six county portion of North Central Kansas, continuing one of the most notable droughts since the 1950s. Unfortunately, June marked the fourth month in a row that at least half of the area observed below normal precipitation. However, this was the second consecutive month that the greatest concentration of above normal rainfall favored Mitchell and Osborne counties, while below normal rainfall primarily concentrated in Rooks, Smith and especially Phillips counties.  Fortunately, temperatures during June 2013 averaged only slightly above normal, easing drought impacts somewhat compared to one year ago when June 2012 averaged 3-6 degrees above normal. As a result of these trends, weekly issuances of the U.S. Drought Monitor changed very little during June over much of the area. At month's end, most of Phillips and Rooks counties, along with western portions of Smith and Osborne counties remained in D3 Extreme Drought, with a sliver of D4 Exceptional Drought (the worst-possible category) still clipping far western portions of Phillips and Rooks counties. Farther east, a mix of D2 Severe and D1 Moderate Drought prevailed across the majority of Jewell, Smith and Osborne counties, while Mitchell County remained in the overall-best shape with a mix of D1 Drought and D0 Abnormally Dry conditions. According to reports from around 20 NWS cooperative observers, and also incorporating radar-derived estimation, at least 75 percent of the six-county area observed below normal June precipitation (based on normals generally between 3.00-3.75 inches). Per NWS cooperative observers, several of the lowest June precipitation totals featured 0.34 near Long Island, 0.61 at Logan, 0.74 at Phillipsburg and 1.38 four miles west-northwest of Plainville. Within the limited above normal areas, some of the wettest sites included Beloit (4.08), Cawker City (3.95) and Lebanon (3.80). In between these wettest and driest extremes, the majority of the area reported below normal amounts between 1.50 and 3.00, including stations in or near Jewell, Mankato, Smith Center and Natoma.
Focusing on the longer-range picture of year-to-date precipitation (January-June), most of the six-county area only stood 55-95% of normal, with Phillips County clearly the overall-driest, including 53% of normal at Phillipsburg, while Mitchell County the overall-wettest. According to the USDA Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending June 9th, topsoil moisture across the north central district had recently degraded a bit, rating 31% short to very short and 65% adequate (versus 15% and 82%, respectively, in early May). Subsoil moisture supplies in the area exhibited a very slight improvement during that same time, but were still 59% short to very short. The state-averaged wheat crop rated 47% poor to very poor and only 28% good to excellent. However, the young corn and soybean crop rated 60% and 64% good to excellent, respectively. Range and pasture conditions across Kansas rated 45% poor to very poor, a 17% improvement since early May. Hay and forage supplies had also improved slightly, with the poor to very poor ratings decreasing from 71% to 59%. This slight improvement was also noted in stock water supplies, checking in at 35% short to very short, versus 48% in early May.

Drought in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-13 00:00:00 to 30-JUN-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MITCHELL, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-13 00:00:00 to 30-JUN-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in OSBORNE, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-13 00:00:00 to 30-JUN-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-13 00:00:00 to 30-JUN-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in ROOKS, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-13 00:00:00 to 30-JUN-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SMITH, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-13 00:00:00 to 30-JUN-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor