Region’s Drought Monitor Stays Steady

The U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday showed a steady drought snapshot for Missouri as a whole. The small area of D4, or Exceptional Drought, indicated in last week’s map, was eliminated, but there was also an expansion of D3, or Extreme Drought. Southeast Grundy County, southern Sullivan County, and eastern Livingston County are other areas within the region with Extreme Drought. The southern half of Harrison County, eastern Daviess County, and most of Mercer and Putnam Counties remain in Severe Drought. With some recent rains, most of the counties on the western side of our Missouri listening area are in the pre-drought category. Overall in Missouri, 20 percent of the state reports Extreme Drought, 26 percent Severe Drought, 32 percent Moderate Drought, and 17 percent pre-drought conditions.

In southern Iowa, the northern half of Decatur County and the western half of Wayne County are in Severe Drought, the eastern half of Wayne County is in Extreme Drought. Most of Ringgold is in Moderate Drought, and Taylor County has mostly pre-drought conditions. 64 percent of the entire state of Iowa is in Moderate Drought. 15 percent are in Severe Drought.