Extreme drought expands further into Mid-Missouri in latest update

The latest drought monitor is in, and even though we had a few spare storms this past week, drought grew across the state. Mid-Missouri saw only a few tenths of an inch of rain over the last 7 days, though some areas did manage to pick up more than an inch.

Still, extreme drought has continued to grow in Mid-Missouri, as most of the area is behind on seasonal rainfall. The extreme drought category (in red) now extends further into Callaway and Osage Counties along the Missouri River. Statewide, drought grew by 7%, when we were at zero percent drought this time last year.

Unfortunately, drought is expected to persist through the summertime. Long-range forecasts do look to improve, though, as above-average rainfall is favored for the season.