Drought in Stoddard, Missouri

A long duration Ozark Foothills drought through the record dry winter in Southeast Missouri expanded across Stoddard and New Madrid Counties with Severe (D2) Drought (and a sliver of Extreme, D3, Drought in Ripley/Butler Counties) at the end of March. A very warm April, with temperatures running 7-8 degrees F above normal, and especially a soil moisture ranking near the 1st percentile, resulted in intensification of drought through April. At the end of April, the Ozark Foothills to Missouri Bootheel were more broadly in Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) Drought with drought continuing into May. Agricultural impacts primarily took the form of earlier than normal planting and very low farm pond levels. Subsoil and topsoil conditions remained quite poor.