Even with rainfall this week, the KVOE listening area is still dry.
Evidence of that can be seen in the latest report from the US Drought Monitor. Most of the area is still abnormally dry, but better than half of Coffey and Greenwood counties are now in moderate drought as is far southeast Osage County.
The reason is La Nina, a slight but prolonged cooling of the surface waters in the Pacific Ocean. State climatologist Mary Knapp says past history indicates a dry weather pattern for several months to come.
Making matters worse, the forecast calls for warmer than normal conditions in Kansas between November and January.
Knapp says the current forecast has La Nina strengthening and lasting into spring 2021.
Rain became scarce areawide after Sept. 11, even with 0.20 inches of rainfall at the KVOE studios this week.
