According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, January 2014 marked the 20th 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. January was the second consecutive month of solidly below normal precipitation area-wide, and according to data from around 20 NWS cooperative observers, roughly 60 percent of this area received no more than half of normal January precipitation (based on long-term January normals generally ranging between 0.40 and 0.65). As a result, there was a one-category degradation in drought classification across most of the area during the month. Category D2 Severe Drought expanded eastward from western Phillips and Rooks counties, to now include all of Phillips, Rooks, Smith and Osborne counties, along with western Jewell and Mitchell. Meanwhile, eastern portions of Jewell and Mitchell counties degraded to D1 Moderate Drought from D0 Abnormally Dry (considered to be one category better than true drought). Due to these January changes, North Central Kansas now contained the greatest areal coverage of D2-or-worse Drought since mid-summer 2013.
For most of the six-county area, the majority of January precipitation fell in the form of 3-6 of fairly dry snow, thus providing very little liquid moisture equivalent. Also for most of the area, the brunt of January precipitation fell on both the first and last days of the month, with very little in between. Thanks to not only a dry December and January, but also a predominantly dry November, much of North Central Kansas recorded one of the Top-5 driest 86-day stretches on record between the dates of Nov. 6-Jan. 30, including at Beloit (0.32) and two miles southwest of Alton (0.23). Per NWS cooperative observers, a few of the leanest January precipitation totals included 0.07 at Hunter, 0.12 at Cawker City, 0.14 at Jewell and 0.17 at Logan. Although still well below normal, a few of the highest monthly amounts occurred at stations located in Mankato (0.36), Smith Center (0.35) and Lebanon (0.34). According to the USDA Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report at the end of January, state-averaged soil moisture supplies clearly declined during the month. Topsoil moisture degraded notably since late-December, as the short to very short category increased from 29% to 57%, and the adequate category dropped to 42%. Subsoil moisture also degraded during the month, increasing from 39% to 57% short to very short, while the adequate category decreased to 43%.

Drought in ROOKS, KANSAS
From 01-JAN-14 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 01-JAN-14 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SMITH, KANSAS
From 01-JAN-14 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in OSBORNE, KANSAS
From 01-JAN-14 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 01-JAN-14 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MITCHELL, KANSAS
From 01-JAN-14 00:00:00 to 31-JAN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor