Wintry Weather Replenishes Moisture For Much Of Missouri

Drought conditions in Missouri as of February 14th 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.)

Two rounds of precipitation last week helped to eliminate drought conditions for nearly everyone in Missouri. The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor shows an end to drought conditions for Central and Northeast Missouri, with the exception of the northernmost parts of Scotland County. Normal conditions also returned for a wide swath of northern and western Missouri, with nearly 38 percent of the state exiting abnormal dryness this week.

Abnormal dryness is no longer present in Southeast or South Central Missouri, bringing an end to eight months of below-average moisture levels. Most areas of Western Missouri also experienced an upgrade in conditions, with Barton, southern Vernon, and northwestern Jasper counties upgraded to moderate from severe drought. Drought has also disappeared from most of Northwest Missouri, but no change was reported for Atchison and northwestern Holt counties, where severe drought remains.

1.8 percent of Missouri remains in drought, including 0.4 percent in severe drought. Another 12 percent of the state continues to experience abnormal dryness.