Drought Worsens For Southwest Missouri

Few parts of the state received any rain in the past week, but drought conditions only registered worse in areas already experiencing it. USDA’s Drought Monitor indicates that moderate drought increased to now cover a majority of Barton, Cedar, Dade and Jasper counties. The first stage of drought conditions also spread into more of Douglas and southern Wright counties. Severe drought has also expanded in the past week, now entering southeasternmost Newton County. Elsewhere, abnormally dry conditions have spread into northwestern Holt County in Northwest Missouri, and more of northern Perry and Sainte Genevieve counties in the southeast.

Just over a tenth of the state is now in some stage of drought, up three-point-seven points from a week ago. That includes 2.3 percent in severe drought. 12.5 percent of the state is in abnormally dry condition.