For at least some portion of September 2022, at least parts of four of the six North Central Kansas counties were assigned Severe Drought (D2) by the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM). This marked the eighth consecutive month that D2 plagued some part of the local area. Despite the continuation of longer-term dryness/precipitation deficits, September was actually an encouraging month overall, with roughly three-fourths of the area measuring at least slightly above normal rainfall...a welcomed trend in the wake of what had just been a Top-10 driest August on record for much of the area (more on Sept. rainfall details below). Focusing on county-level USDM drought category specifics, September opened with southwestern Rooks County assigned D2, while Moderate Drought (D1) blanketed all of Smith, Phillips and the remainder of Rooks counties, along with most of Osborne and western Jewell counties. Outside of these worst-off areas, the Abnormally Dry (D0) category was present across most of Mitchell, eastern Jewell and far eastern Osborne counties to start the month, while far southern Mitchell County was actually void of all drought categories. Over the course of the month, a dry first half prompted some expansion of especially D2, which at one point covered the majority of Rooks and Osborne counties, along with stripes of far southern Smith and far southern/western Phillips counties. However, some decent rain during the latter half of the month brought subsequent improvements. Most notably, this involved a zone of D2-becoming-D1 across much of especially the southern half of Rooks/Osborne counties, along with D1-becoming-D0 across much of western Jewell and northern Smith Counties. In addition, the drought-free area in Mitchell County expanded to include roughly half of the county by month's end.
Turning to September 2022 rainfall details, the overall trend was encouraging, with around 75 percent of the area receiving at least slightly above normal totals mainly in the 2.25-4.00 inch range. The overall-highest amounts focused within the northern halves of Phillips, Smith and Jewell counties, along with southern portions of Rooks, Osborne and Mitchell counties. Of the roughly 25% of the area that was drier than normal for the month, the greatest coverage focused within northern Osborne County, parts of Phillips County and northeastern Mitchell/far southeastern Jewell counties. Per a few dozen NWS/CoCoRaHS observers (along with a few automated KS Mesonet stations), a few of the wettest September tallies featured 4.43 in Lebanon, 4.27 two miles north-northwest of Hunter and 3.86 at Lovewell Dam. On the driest side of things, a few of the lowest monthly totals included 1.04 near Osborne, 1.61 six miles east of Phillipsburg and 1.82 in Logan.

Drought in PHILLIPS, KANSAS
From 13-SEP-22 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in OSBORNE, KANSAS
From 13-SEP-22 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor

Drought in SMITH, KANSAS
From 13-SEP-22 00:00:00 to 30-SEP-22 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Drought Monitor