Daily Archives: 26 July, 2012

Kansas governor declares entire state is in drought emergency

26 July, 20123:39 p.m.

Gov. Brownback signed an executive order Wednesday declaring that all 105 counties are facing a drought emergency.

“While reservoirs and cities have been able to meet their communities’ needs so far, it is imperative citizens conserve water in every way they can,” Brownback said in a prepared statement. “Drought outlook indicates conditions are expected to continue or intensify for the state and we need increased cooperation going forward.”

The declaration authorizes the Kansas Water Office and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism to use water from state fishing lakes if necessary.

“Our focus at this time is to ensure communities, livestock producers and farmers have the available resources they need,” said Tracy Streeter, director of the Kansas Water Office and chairman of the Governor’s Drought Response Team, in a prepared statement.

Under terms of the declaration, small communities and producers will be allowed to pump water from certain state fishing lakes if they are in dire need of water, Streeter said.

State fishing lakes available for emergency withdrawals include Atchison, Barber, Brown, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Clark, Crawford, Goodman, Jewell, Kingman, Leavenworth, Lyon, Pottawatomie #1, Pottawatomie #2, McPherson, Miami, Neosho, Osage, Ottawa, Saline, Scott, Shawnee, Sheridan, Washington, Wilson and Woodson. Mined pits can also be pumped.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Drought | Comments Off

Showers settle some dust in the Wichita area and double the rainfall total for July

26 July, 20127:42 a.m.

Chances are you slept through it, but Wichita finally got a bit of rain overnight.

The official rainfall of .13 doubles the city’s total for July, National Weather Service meteorologist Leon Wasinger said.

That also knocks 2012 well down the list of driest Julys on record – not that anybody really minds.

“Julys have been known to get dry” in Wichita, Wasinger said.

Coincidentally, the wettest day of the month was also the hottest: the high of 108 topped the previous record of 105 set in 1964.

The thermometer used for official temperature readings sits in a grassy strip between runways at Mid-Continent Airport, and Wasinger said swirling winds pushed air superheated by the asphalt runways over the temperature sensors and gave readings a bit of an artificial boost. The high at NWS offices about a half-mile away was 105.

Such boosts are rare, he said, but they can happen if the wind is blowing just right.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Heat, Rain, Records | Comments Off

At long last, a break from triple digits – and maybe even some rain

26 July, 20125:00 a.m.

There’s a slight chance of rain in the forecast for the Wichita area this morning, forecasters say, with the cloudy skies setting the stage for a welcome break from triple digits.

Today is expected to be the first day in 10 that the high won’t hit 100 in Wichita. It’ll still be in the upper 90s, though, with skies slowly clearing in the afternoon.

The best chances for rain, forecasters say, will be before 1 p.m. Winds will be out of the south-southwest in the teens, with gusts approaching 25 miles an hour.

Skies should clear overnight, with lows in the mid-70s. Friday will be sunny and hot again, with highs climbing back above 100. More 100s are expected through the weekend.

For more information on current conditions, go to our weather page.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Forecast | Comments Off