Geary County Extension Agent said this week that for the sixth month in a row area temperatures were above average with record highs being set late in the month. After normal rainfall in October and November provided only one measurable precipitation event.
The average daily high during November was 58.6, 4.3 degrees above normal. The average overnight low was 38.8, 6.3 degrees above normal. This resulted in a monthly mean temperature of 48.7, 5.3 degrees above normal. The highest temperature for the month was 75 on the 7th. The lowest temperature was 23 degrees on the 13th.
There were three temperature records broken during the month. The high of 73 on the 23rd broke the old record of 71 set in 2017. The high of 74 on the 29th broke the old record of 71 set in 1975 and 1986. Additionally, the overnight low of 52 on the 23rd broke the old record high low temperature of 51 set in 2017 and 2020. The monthly mean temperature of 48.7 makes it the sixth warmest November on record. The hottest November on record was 1999 with a monthly mean temperature of 51.8. The coldest November on record was in 1985 with a monthly mean temperature of 35.2 degrees.
Average November rainfall is 1.42 inches as we head into our driest months of the year (November through February). There was one measurable rainfall event for the entire month which yielded 0.25 inches of precipitation at Milford Lake and 0.23 inches in Junction City. Year to date normal precipitation is 32.40 inches. Milford Lake, year to date, has received 24.84 inches and Junction City has received 29.53 inches. The driest November on record is a three way tie between 1954, 1966 and 1989 when no rain was recorded. The wettest November on record was in 1931 when 5.88 inches filled the rain gauges.
Cold, gray clouds on the afternoon of November 12th did bring us a few snow flurries that melted as soon as they hit the ground. Long term average snowfall for November is 1 inch and average season to date snowfall is 1.1 inches. So far this season, those few snow flurries we saw on the 12th are the extent of the snowfall.
December brings us our shortest days of the year and the official start of winter with the winter solstice on December 21st. Average daily highs during December start the month at 46 and by New Year’s Eve are down to 39. Overnight lows also drop from 26 on the 1st to 20 on the 31st. Average daily highs don’t really start to increase until mid January. Average December precipitation is 1.17 inches and average snowfall for December is 3.7 inches. You probably shouldn’t get your hopes too high for a snowy Christmas as the odds of having snow on the ground for Christmas day is less than 25% according to the National Weather Service. With the Climate Prediction Center forecasting above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation for December, the odds this year are probably even lower than that!