Drought in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

A record dry winter in Southeast Missouri led to dry conditions heading into April from Bollinger to Mississippi Counties. 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. Severe (D2) drought developed mid-month along that corridor, diminished some with heavy rain the following week, then expanded for the end of April 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.