Drought Conditions Improve

Heavy snow and rain over the past month has improved Mid-Missouri’s severe drought conditions but the melting snow and recent rain is pushing creeks and streams into fields. Experts expect the foot and a half of snow melting plus rainfall over the weekend will ease the extreme drought condition hurting Missouri farmers. ABC 17’s Storm Track chief meteorologist Sharon Ray says just in March an inch and a half of precipitation fell. That precipitation improved Missouri’s once severe drought conditions improved to a moderate drought condition. Both crop and livestock farmers are relieved about the new status. “I never get too worried because this is a good example of what can happen here that it can go from worrying about the drought to excessive amounts of moisture and high river levels,” farmer Terry Hilgedick says. But too much snow and rain could put a different strain on farmers with planning and planting season just weeks away. As spring approaches and the ground thaws, more moisture will seep in threatening fields with flooding but farmers are hopefully.According to meteorologists, rain isn’t expect the rest of this week.Farmers say it takes time to see the impact of the two extreme weather conditions on their farms or at the grocery store.Hilgedick thinks the price of meat will increase but produce should remain the same. The United States Department of Agriculture is trying to stay optimistic. “We hope to have a good spring that things dry up as i’m sure they will and get their crops in in a timely manner and we get rain through out the summer,” Gerald Hrdina says. The USDA says it’s not just about how much rain we get, but when we get it. They’re hoping for rain in the summer months so a good harvest is produced and food can stay at it’s current prices.