Extreme Drought From Columbia To Cole Camp

Despite last weekend’s storms and the prospect of rain over the next several days, more areas of Missouri continue spiraling into more serious stages of drought.  This week’s US Drought Monitor shows the formation of extreme drought impacting six counties in Central Missouri, stretching from Columbia southwest to Cole Camp.  Severe drought has ballooned into more of the state, ranging from Marion, Ralls, and northwestern Montgomery counties in Northeast Missouri to a majority of Jackson and Cass counties in the Kansas City area.  Cedar, western Hickory, and western Cole counties have also fallen into the second stage of drought conditions.  Abnormal dryness now covers nearly half of the state, with just areas of Atchison, Nodaway and Holt counties in the northwest and 19 counties in the southeast considered to have normal moisture.

As a result, 36.6 percent of Missouri is in some stage of drought, with another 48.1 percent in abnormal dryness.  That includes 17.5 percent in severe drought and 2.1 percent in extreme drought.