Two Drought Patches Develop Around St Louis Metro

Drought conditions in Missouri as of December 7th, 2021. (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.)

Missouri’s continued dry spell has resulted in the emergence of two patches of drought around the Saint Louis area. USDA’s weekly drought monitor indicates the development of moderate drought on a large portion of northern Saint Louis County, stretching west into much of Saint Charles and the southernmost tip of Warren County. A second, larger patch has also appeared, covering a majority of Franklin County along with northern Crawford, southern Gasconade, and the edges of eastern Maries, northern Phelps, and northwestern Washington counties. 2.5 percent of Missouri is now in the first stage of drought.

Areas of Missouri in abnormal dryness now total 37.9 percent. More of western Audrain, Monroe and Shelby counties have entered pre-drought stage. So too have Pulaski, eastern Camden, southern Crawford, western Iron, northeastern Laclede, and the northern and western portions of Saint François counties.