Drought Continues For Southwest Missouri

Heavy rains across Northern Missouri last week didn’t filter much into the southwestern part of the state, resulting in minor changes to this week’s drought monitor from USDA. Overall impact on the state shrunk slightly, with abnormal dryness no longer present north of Route 50. However, just two areas that entered drought last week returned to abnormally dry conditions: southwest Newton County and northeastern Shannon County. Moderate drought continues to cover 8.5 percent of the state, with one of the largest patches along the Kansas border from Butler to Carthage, then east into much of Cedar County. Another large patch includes Springfield and goes west into Dade and Lawrence counties and west into Webster and western Douglas counties. Drought patches also remain over eastern Laclede, northeastern Wright, east-central Texas and northwestern Shannon counties.

Parts of southeast Missouri saw improvement with pre-drought conditions disappearing from parts of Dunklin, Ripley, Stoddard and Wayne counties. However, much of Pemiscot County and southern Dunklin County remain abnormally dry. In total, 24.3 percent of Missouri is considered abnormally dry.