May ends with a downpour: Here’s how much rain south-central Kansas has gotten so far

It was a rainy night for Kansas on Tuesday, with the highest amount of rain recorded at 5.6 inches in Elk County.

Sedgwick County received a lot of it — the highest amount in the county was 4.3 inches recorded at 2.3 miles north of Derby. Wichita’s highest recorded amount was 4.25 inches. The official total of 3.94 inches was recorded at the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport.

“There’s really two main strips of heavier rainfall, the first is from southern Kingman County across Wichita into Butler County, Rose Hill, Augusta, El Dorado,” National Weather Service meteorologist Kelly Butler said.

“A second rainfall stretching just north of Geuda Springs in Cowley Country, northeast into Elk County into extreme southeast Greenwood County into Wilson and Neosho counties.”

Haysville had a high of 3.72 inches, Bel Aire 3.65, and 2.4 miles southwest of Andover received 3.1 inches.

May 2022 was the second wettest May in Wichita history with 12.95 inches. The wettest is 2008 with a recorded 13.14 inches. These records date back to 1954.

Although it’s not pouring as much as yesterday, the city isn’t in the clear yet. Wichita is under another flood watch until 1 a.m. Thursday, and is expected to receive up to one more inch of rain Wednesday.

“An inch of rain on stuff that’s already flooding will only make it worse,” Butler said.

Butler wants to remind Kansans to remain careful on the roads, even if they don’t appear flooded.

“No matter how deep or not deep they think water is on the roads, just do not cross it with your car, you know? A lot of people try but it’s always the wrong decision,” Butler said. “It’s hard to tell if the road is still there, basically. You don’t really know what you’re driving over, or if you’ll make it.”

This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 1:15 PM.