Drought Catches The Katy, Mules Left Needing A Drink

Drought conditions in Missouri as of April 25th, 2023. (The U.S. Drought Monitor is jointly produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Map courtesy of NDMC.)

The belt of abnormal dryness that appeared through Central and Southwest Missouri last week has ballooned into a stretch of moderate drought. This week’s US Drought Monitor indicates a full-step downgrade for areas between Southwest Missouri’s Nevada, northeast through the Truman Lake area and into Columbia before covering a majority of Audrain and Ralls counties in northeast Missouri. Northwestern Callaway County is now in severe drought, and the long-standing severe drought patch in western Barton County has expanded eastward to Lamar.

Abnormal dryness has also expanded into a majority of Cass, Johnson, Lafayette, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Randolph, Saline, and Shelby counties, along with southern Chariton, southern Jackson, southeastern Macon, and northern Montgomery counties. Pre-drought conditions have also re-appeared in a majority of Schuyler and Scotland counties.

10.9 percent of Missouri is in some stage of drought, with 0.6 percent in severe drought. Another 16 percent of the state is in abnormal dryness.