Unfortunately there can be too much of a good thing, and July proved that in the form of too much rain for parts of the Plains.
Toward the end of the month Hurricane Hanna left impacts across portions of southern Texas. Flash flooding was an issue as very heavy rain occurred.
Summer storms also dropped heavy rain in other parts of the plains in July. Some of this rain led to flooding concerns while the rain helped to alleviate some deficits for others.
Much needed rain was collected in parts of Kansas including Dodge City. Around the middle part of the month, that city had a week long total of 4.89 inches.
On the other hand, drought conditions plagued much of the center of the United States.
It seems it was a month of extremes not only with moisture but periods of heat too.
Along with some daily and monthly records broken in some Texas cities, Del Rio tied its all time record high temperature of 112 degrees Fahrenheit on July 13.
Temperatures for the month ahead should be above seasonal norms from Texas to Nebraska. Moisture doesn’t look to help drought conditions from western Texas to southwest Kansas as that area is currently forecast to see below average precipitation during the month of August.
Looking further out, the entire lower 48 is favored for above average temperatures for the next three months. For precipitation, it looks like northwest Texas to the panhandle of Nebraska could see the numbers tally up below normal through October.
ENSO-Neutral conditions remain at this point, but we are now watching the possibility for the development of La Niña this fall. This development is not a certainty but if it does happen, it could stay in control into the winter as well.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for next month’s update.
Editor’s note: Regina Bird grew up on a farm near Belleville, Kansas. The views from the farm helped spur her interest in weather. Following high school, she went on to get a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Kansas. She currently works as a meteorologist for NTV and KFXL in central Nebraska. Follow her on Twitter: @ReginaBirdWX
