September featured some needed batches of rain for parts of the Plains. As we ended the month, a surge of tropical moisture led to too much rain too fast, which meant flooding concerns as that rain fell on saturated soils.
Heavy rain also washed-out roads in parts of Kansas. Although the rain also slowed some fall harvests, it helped soil moisture for areas of stressed winter wheat and pastures.
Some of the rain came with thunderstorm activity with even some severe storms that impacted the Plains.
September included a mixture of warm days and cooler days. too. One spot that was notably hot was McAllen, Texas. There, the stretch of 100+ degrees Fahrenheit days continued. The stretch began in late July and was still ongoing through September. This stretch in September also included record highs of 103 degrees both Sept. 20 and 21. Waco also set a record high September 20 when the temperature soared to 101 degrees. With a high of 100 degrees Sept. 22, Tyler set a record high that day. Then the next day Houston notched a record high when the temperature hit 99 degrees.
Globally, El Niño is strengthening with a very strong event expected this fall and winter. Forecasts are even showing the likelihood of a historically strong El Niño (records date back to 1950).
For October, above normal precipitation is expected for the Southern Plains while the northern half of Nebraska should see below normal precipitation. At the same time, we are expecting above average temperatures for southern Texas, Nebraska and much of Kansas.
Above normal temperatures are forecast to continue through December for Nebraska and northern Kansas. For precipitation, that is expected to be above seasonal norms the next three months for the southern and central Plains.
I’m always keeping an eye to the sky (and the weather patterns), so watch for November’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 worked as a television meteorologist for nine years in Nebraska. Follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter): @ReginaBirdWX.
