In terms of drought classification assigned by the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor, June 2014 marked a momentous occasion across this six-county North Central Kansas area: For the first time since June 2012, the entire local area became void of category D2 Severe-or-worse drought. The month started out with D2 Severe drought hanging on across most of the area along with a limited zone of D3 Extreme drought in southern Rooks and Osborne counties, marking the 25th consecutive month of Severe-or-worse drought within North Central Kansas. However, an abundance of June rainfall quickly diminished the worst of any lingering drought impacts. Already by June 10th, most of the six-county area had improved to no-worse-than D1 Moderate drought, with the only D2 Severe area confined to southern Rooks and Osborne counties. Within another week, the entire local area was void of D2 drought, and by month's end D1 Moderate drought prevailed across the majority of the area, accompanied by a small area of category D0 Abnormally Dry conditions across northern portions of Phillips, Smith and Jewell counties (considered to be one category better than ���true��� drought).
According to reports from 20 NWS cooperative observers and also taking into account radar-derived precipitation estimates, literally the entire 24-county area observed above normal rainfall during June 2014, a reality that hadn't happen in quite some time. More significantly, at least 75% of the area measured at least twice normal June rainfall (meaning generally more than 7.20). Although very limited in nature, a small fraction of the area even flirted with three times normal June rainfall. Not surprisingly, a large percentage of North Central Kansas observed at least a Top-10, if not a Top-5 wettest June on record based on long term records. At the NWS cooperative site near Alton, this was the 3rd-wettest June on record out of 109 years, trailing only higher totals in 1949 and 1951. As for June precipitation extremes across the local area per NWS cooperative observers, a few of the highest monthly totals featured 10.01 at Ionia, 10.00 at Lovewell Dam and 9.55 two miles southwest of Alton. On the comparably drier side of things, but still well above normal, a few of the lowest June totals consisted of 5.40 at Logan, 5.45 at Phillipsburg and 6.35 at Kirwin Dam. Needless to say, topsoil and subsoil moisture levels made notable strides over the course of the month in the north central district, according to the USDA Kansas Crop Progress and Condition Report. For the week ending June 29th, this report indicated that topsoil moisture supplies were now 78% adequate and only 22% short to very short, a considerable improvement from 59% short to very short at the end of May. Improvements in subsoil moisture were not quite as substantial, but the short to very short categories still decreased from 78% at the beginning of June to 63% by month's end.
Given the considerable improvements that took place during June 2014, there will be no further drought episodes entered into Storm Data unless D2 Severe-or-worse classification returns to North Central Kansas.

Drought in JEWELL, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-14 00:00:00 to 10-JUN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in MITCHELL, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-14 00:00:00 to 10-JUN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in OSBORNE, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-14 00:00:00 to 17-JUN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-14 00:00:00 to 10-JUN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in ROOKS, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-14 00:00:00 to 17-JUN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SMITH, KANSAS
From 01-JUN-14 00:00:00 to 03-JUN-14 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor