Drought conditions in the Green Hills region of Missouri have shown signs of improvement over the past week, even as the state as a whole experiences worsening conditions, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map released on the morning of July 6th. The report’s data is based on conditions as of July 4th.
In the Green Hills area, the extreme drought that was previously affecting Putnam and Sullivan counties has now been downgraded to severe drought. Severe drought conditions now encompass Livingston and Linn counties entirely, as well as most of Putnam, Sullivan, Grundy, and Harrison counties. Additionally, the eastern half of Daviess County and the eastern portion of Caldwell County are now facing severe drought. Mercer County, on the other hand, has seen an improvement from severe to moderate drought. Northwest Harrison County is currently experiencing abnormally dry conditions, while the remaining northern areas and the western edge of the county are now under a moderate drought. Northwest Daviess County has also transitioned to an abnormally dry status. Lastly, the western portion of Daviess County and the majority of Caldwell County are currently affected by moderate drought.
Turning to Northeast Missouri, areas that were previously facing extreme drought have now been downgraded to severe drought. Meanwhile, certain parts of Northwest Missouri, which were experiencing moderate drought, have transitioned to an abnormally dry state.
Meanwhile, the Saint Louis and Eastern Missouri regions have witnessed improvements in drought conditions. Areas that faced moderate drought last week are now categorized as abnormally dry, and some parts previously classified as abnormally dry are now free of drought or abnormally dry conditions.
In contrast, Central and South Missouri have experienced an expansion of extreme drought conditions. The southern part of the state has also witnessed an expansion of abnormally dry conditions.
Overall, 98.74% of the state is currently affected by varying degrees of drought or abnormally dry conditions, representing a 4.55% increase compared to the previous week.
As of July 6th, rainfall in Trenton remains below average for the year, with a deficit of 5.78 inches. In the week leading up to July 4th, Trenton received 1.68 inches of rainfall.
