Drought Conditions Continue Expanding

All of Missouri’s border with Iowa is now in some stage of dryness, while drought conditions south of Springfield continue expanding. USDA’s weekly Drought Monitor indicates that moderate drought conditions have expanded into a majority of Putnam and Schuyler counties, along with northern Mercer, northwestern Scotland, and northeastern Harrison and Sullivan counties. Abnormally dry conditions have not only expanded west along the Iowa border, but also south into Marion, northern Ralls, eastern Shelby, and northeastern Monroe counties.

The largest and most severe area of drought south of Springfield expanded in the past week, adding the northern half of Stone County along with eastern slivers of Barry and Lawrence counties. However, there were two areas of improvement: moderate drought is no longer present south of Joplin, and southern Dunklin and Pemiscot counties in the Bootheel have improved to abnormally dry after receiving the remnants of Hurricane Laura.

In total, five-point-four percent of Missouri is in some stage of drought, up nine-tenths of a point from last week. Another 17-point-nine percent is abnormally dry.