Most of the KVOE listening area is now in a drought watch as announced by Governor Laura Kelly on Monday.
The governor’s latest executive order, 20-54, puts 74 of the state’s 105 counties in some sort of drought alert. Lyon, Chase, Coffey, Greenwood and Morris counties are included in a watch after parts or all of those counties have been abnormally dry the last two weeks, according to the US Drought Monitor. Osage and Wabaunsee counties are not currently affected.
The drought alerts come a year after record to near-record rainfall across much of Kansas, but they also follow a much drier year so far this year with many areas of the state getting 70 percent of their normal rainfall or less since January.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will monitor the situation closely and work to minimize the impacts that develop.
