According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, April marked the 11th consecutive month of severe (or worse) drought within this six-county portion of North Central Kansas. This continued one of the most notable droughts since the 1950s, although limited parts of the area saw encouraging trends during April. Based on Drought Monitor weekly issuances, there was essentially no change in drought classification over the course of the month for five of the six counties, with a one-category improvement from D2 Severe Drought to D1 Moderate Drought noted in southeastern Mitchell County. This marked the first time since July 2012 that any portion of the six-county area featured something better than Severe Drought. At month's end, the vast majority of Phillips, Rooks, Smith and Osborne counties remained in D3 Extreme Drought, with the far western fringes of Rooks and Phillips brushed with D4 Exceptional Drought (the worst-possible category). Farther east, all of Jewell and northwestern Mitchell counties continued in D2 Severe Drought. Based on reports from around 20 NWS cooperative observers, and also incorporating radar-derived estimation, at least 60 percent of the area observed below normal April precipitation (based on normals generally between 2.10-2.50 inches). However, even within the below normal zones most places still measured at least 1.30 for the month. In other words, no areas were left bone-dry, as had been the case several times within the past year. In general, Mitchell, Jewell and Smith counties were the wettest counties in April, compared to drier conditions in most of Osborne, Rooks and Phillips. A few of the lowest April precipitation totals at cooperative observer sites were 1.26 at Phillipsburg, 1.38 four miles west-northwest of Plainville and 1.40 near Covert in rural Osborne County. On the wetter side of things were locations such as Beloit (4.01), Jewell (3.59) and Lebanon (2.77). As for April snowfall, a predominant below normal temperature regime set the stage for mainly above normal amounts, highlighted by 6.5 at Natoma and 6.3 at Plainville 4WNW.
Given the prevailing near to slightly below normal precipitation regime within much of North Central Kansas during April, there remained a long way to go to fully relieve the area of severe or worse drought given that longer-term impacts to subsoil moisture and groundwater deficits were still very evident. The longer-term trend was generally on the right track, however, as most of the six-county area observed between 75 and 115 percent of normal precipitation during the first four months of 2013. The USDA Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending May 5th indicated that topsoil moisture across the North Central District continued to improve, rating only 15 percent short to very short and 82% adequate, compared to late-March when it was 30% short to very short. However, subsoil moisture still showed considerable room for improvement, rating 63% short to very short, although this was still a 20% improvement since late March. The state-averaged wheat crop rated 40% poor to very poor and only 27% good to excellent. Pasture and range conditions across Kansas rated 62% poor to very poor, a 17% improvement since five weeks prior, while hay and forage supplies exhibited little change at 71% short to very short. Stock water supplies had improved somewhat in recent weeks but still rated 48% short to very short.

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

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

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

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

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

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