U.S. Drought Monitor Upgrade Missouri And Iowa Moisture Conditions

Overall, Missouri showed significant improvement with this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor.

Categorically, Missouri’s Severe Drought category was nearly eliminated, from 3.5 percent to point-5 percent. Moderate Drought territory was reduced from 36 percent to 19 percent. Territory in pre-drought condition was reduced from 33 to 24 percent. Another 29 percent of Missouri was taken out of any dryness condition. Now, 56 percent of Missouri is free of dryness condition.

The region’s territory showed some improvement, but it was not as dramatic as the rest of Missouri. Gentry, Andrew, Atchison, the western half of Harrison County, southeast Nodaway, and northern DeKalb counties remain in Moderate Drought. Worth County and the remaining areas of Harrison, Nodaway, and Daviess counties are in pre-drought conditions. Mercer, Putnam, Sullivan, and most of Grundy counties are free of even pre-drought condition.

Iowa Drought Monitor also showed improvement. 4 to 5 percent of Iowa territory was taken out of Severe Drought and Moderate Drought territory. Most of northwest Iowa is now out of any pre-drought conditions. Half of Decatur County remains in Moderate Drought. The rest of Decatur County and most of Ringgold County are in pre-drought conditions. Wayne County is out of pre-drought condition. Half of Taylor County is out of pre-drought condition.

The U.S. Drought Monitor report is released on Thursday morning and takes into account precipitation through the previous Tuesday of each week.