Drought Conditions Continue

Drought conditions have spread over the winter with 61 percent of the area being abnormally dry.

Northwest Missouri has seen a lower amount of precipitation this winter than surrounding areas, totaling about 25 to 50 percent of normal. The Kansas City Metro area is 50 percent of normal. Further south and east in central and southern Missouri, precipitation has been better, but still only 50 to 75 percent of normal.

In northwest Missouri, Atchison, Holt, Nodaway and Andrew Counties are at D-0, which is abnormally dry. Counties in the far southwestern reach of Iowa are in the abnormally dry intensity category as well.

Drought is not expected in the National Weather Service outlook for Spring, however there is concern is for “flash drought” which is the quick onset of drought conditions. Flash droughts have a higher than normal chance of occurring after a La Nina winter which we are currently experiencing.