Junction City area temperatures in May were normal…for June. Rainfall did increase, compared to April. But the drought that has now been ongoing for nine months continued through May.
Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte reported that the average daily high during May was 84.2, 9.1 degrees above normal (and one tenth of a degree below the average June daily high). The average overnight low for May was 62.5, 9.5 degrees above normal (and one tenth of a degree above average June overnight low temperatures). That gave us a monthly mean temperature of 73.4, 9.4 degrees above normal (and right on the average June mean temperature.) These temperatures made it the second hottest May on record. The hottest May was in 1962 with a monthly mean temperature of 74.3. The coldest May was in 1995 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 57.8! The average overnight low of 62.5 did set the record for the highest average overnight low. The previous record was 61.9 set in 1962. The highest temperature for the month was 97 on the 26th. The lowest temperature for the month was 51 on the 3rd and the 4th. During a month when average daily high temperatures should just reach 80 by the end of the month we had 25 days with daily highs of 80 or above. Several temperature records were set or tied during the month. The high of 95 on the 27th tied the record high for that date which was first set in 2012. The high of 93 on the 28th broke the old record of 91 set in 1956. Three overnight lows set new record high lows for May. The low of 70 on the 1st broke the old record of 67 set in 1955. The low of 69 on the 11th broke the old record of 68 set in 2005. The low of 70 on the 27th broke the old record of 67 set in 1956 and reached again in 2006.
Average May rainfall is 4.79 inches. Milford Lake received 2.44 inches and Junction City received 3.46 inches for the month. In and of itself, the low May rainfall is a long way from a record setter. The driest May was in 2009 when only 0.86 inches fell. The wettest May was in 1995 when 17.23 inches of rain flooded the region, the wettest month ever for our area. What comes into consideration though is when you look at year to date rainfall. Normal January through May rainfall is 11.85 inches. Junction City has received 6.37 inches and Milford Lake has received 5.28 inches. Only 1966’s 4.12 inches and 1989’s 5.12 inches were drier (since 1931). Going back and looking at September through May we normally would expect 20.38 inches of precipitation for the nine month period. Milford Lake has received 10.60 inches during that time. Only the same period from September 1988 to May of 1989 was drier at 10.05 inches. The average wheat yield in 1989 was about 25% of normal. There is reason to hope that rainfall will increase. Eight previous times we have had September to May rainfall of 2/3 of normal or less. In all of those situations, the following three months received normal to above normal precipitation. We can only hope that this holds true for 2018.
June brings us the official start of summer, warmer weather, normally, and generally matches the May rainfall. Average daily highs in June range from 80 on the 1st to 90 on the 30th. Average overnight lows start the month at 58 and by month’s end are at 67. Long term average rainfall for June is 4.80 inches.