Missouri’s Drought Situation Downgraded In Weekly Monitor

Missouri’s drought situation continues to get worse.

The new U.S. Drought Monitor showed a much larger area of Severe Drought in Missouri and even the beginning of Extreme Drought. Extreme Drought is the third of four drought levels.

Most of Missouri’s territory located south of Highway 10 have at least pre-drought conditions. The middle third of Missouri has mostly pre-drought and moderate drought conditions. The southern third of Missouri is considered to be in mostly severe drought. Howell and Oregon counties on the Missouri-Arkansas border are in mostly extreme, or level 3, drought.

Only 26 percent of the state has no drought nor pre-drought conditions. 17 percent of the state is experiencing moderate drought. 36 percent of the state is in severe drought.

Due to timely rains, none of the counties in our coverage area are in any drought nor pre-drought conditions.

While Missouri’s drought map was downgraded substantially, Iowa’s drought map is similar to last week. None of the counties in our listening area are under drought conditions. Some second tier counties to the state’s southern border are considered to be in pre-drought. Much of Iowa’s northwestern territory have the most drought situations.