Extreme Drought Returns To Columbia

Drought conditions in Missouri as of Oct. 10th, 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.)

Mizzou fans are hoping that the intensifying drought on campus is only the weather and not a sudden shift in fortune for their Tigers. The weekly US Drought Monitor showed the return of extreme drought conditions for Columbia and much of Boone County this week. To the north, the Duncans Bridge area in northwestern Monroe County fell into severe drought, along with southernmost Shelby and the southeastern corner of Macon counties. Severe drought also made its way into south central Daviess County. Moderate drought crept north of U.S. Route 36 into Andrew, western Daviess, northern DeKalb, southern Gentry and southern Holt counties.

It’s a different story for southern Missouri, which saw drought conditions dissipate in parts of four counties. Southwestern Polk and Dallas counties, along with southern Howell and Ripley counties, exited moderate drought. Abnormal dryness is no longer present for Springfield and most of Greene County, along with Lawrence, northeastern Jasper, and all but the northwestern corner of Webster counties. Southern Howell County also exited abnormal dryness.

The percentage of Missouri in some stage of drought increased slightly to 59.7 percent, including 10.3 percent of the state now in extreme drought. However, areas in abnormal dryness decreased to 24.2 percent, while almost a sixth of Missouri has normal or surplus moisture.