According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, November 2013 marked the 18th consecutive month during which drought of at least category D2 Severe intensity plagued at least some portion of this six county North Central Kansas area, prolonging one of the most notable droughts in decades. Despite at least slightly above normal November precipitation across the majority of the area, the U.S. Drought Monitor reflected no change whatsoever during the month in drought classification within the western-most counties of Phillips and Rooks, but actually indicated a slight degradation across most of the remainder of the area. Nonetheless, a west (worse) to east (better) disparity in drought severity remained intact. As a result, the lingering effects of longer-term dryness kept D2 Severe Drought in place for northwestern Phillips and far western Rooks counties. Meanwhile, category D1 Moderate Drought persisted through southeastern Phillips, northwestern Smith and the majority of Rooks counties. Meanwhile, although still better-off than counties farther west, all of Osborne, Jewell and Mitchell counties, along with southeastern Smith County, ended the month in category D0 Abnormally Dry conditions (considered to be one category better than true drought). For much of the D0 area, this was a slight degradation given that all drought classification (including D0) had previously been removed during the August-September time frame.
Reports from around 20 NWS Cooperative Observers, and also radar-derived estimation, revealed that at least 70% of the six-county area measured at least slightly above normal November precipitation (based on long-term November normal generally between 0.90-1.35). The primary, limited zones of below normal precipitation mainly affected western Phillips and northwestern Smith counties. For most places, a significant percentage of monthly precipitation fell during an early-month rain event on the 5th, while very little, if hardly any fell thereafter. As just one example of this: Burr Oak received 1.98 of rain on the 5th, but only a meager 0.02 through the remainder of the month. Per NWS cooperative observers, a few of the highest November precipitation totals featured 2.02 at Burr Oak, 1.95 at Lovewell Dam, 1.80 at Mankato and 1.70 at Beloit. On the drier side of the ledger were sites including Logan (0.77) Phillipsburg (0.85) and one mile north of Long Island (0.89).
Taking a look at longer-term precipitation trends, without question the driest conditions so far in 2013 continued to plague Phillips and western Rooks counties, while the overall best-off areas resided across Mitchell and eastern Jewell counties. According to the USDA Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending November 24th, topsoil moisture within the north central district had improved somewhat since late-October, as the short or very short category decreased from 55% to 37%. During that same time frame, north central Kansas subsoil moisture remained largely unchanged, now checking in at 67% short or very short.

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

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