Drought map of Missouri as of May 27, 2025 (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.)

Abnormally dry conditions returned over the Memorial Day weekend to counties along the Missouri River, as Northern Missouri continues teetering on the verge of drought.

The weekly drought monitor update from the National Drought Mitigation Center indicates that as of Tuesday morning, Carroll, Chariton, and Ray counties, along with southern Caldwell, Linn and Livingston, northern Saline, and most of Lafayette counties, have re-entered pre-drought conditions. These counties are among the 19.2 percent of Missouri lacking adequate moisture. Another three percent of Missouri is in moderate drought, split between a patch anchored on Northwest Missouri’s Holt County and another split between Knox and Lewis counties in Northeast Missouri. These patches are unchanged from a week ago.

Following another round of excess rains in Southern Missouri, areas south of Interstate 70 remain in adequate or surplus moisture.