Drought in Missouri, October 1 to 31, 2022

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Cooper County was one of the most impacted counties, as it began the month with about half the county in extreme drought (D3) with almost all of the county within D3 from October 4th through the end of the month. This drought played a role in a significant wildland fire in eastern Cooper County on October 22nd.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Howard County began October with a fairly small area in D2 and D3, but by October 11th, D2 had expanded to the entire county with D3 remaining on the southern edge of the county near the Missouri River.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Saline County began October almost entirely within D2 with D3 drought building in over the southern half of the county by October 4th. By the end of October, all of Saline County was either in D2 or D3.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought persisting through the month. Lafayette County began October entirely within D2 with D3 drought taking hold across the entire county by early to mid October and continuing through the end of the month.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Jackson County began October almost entirely within D2 drought with D3 drought taking hold across the entire county by October 4th and continuing through the remainder of the month.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Carroll County spent all of October almost entirely within D2 drought with a small sliver of D3 drought taking hold across far southwestern Carroll County near the Missouri River by early to mid October.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Pettis County began October with the northern half of the county within D2 drought. By October 4th, D2 drought expanded to cover almost the entire county with D3 drought taking hold across the northern third. Precipitation across the southern half of the county late in October improved drought conditions there, with D2 and D3 remaining across the northern third of the county through the end of the month.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Johnson County began October with the northern half of the county within D2 drought. By October 4th, D2 drought had expanded to cover the entire county with D3 drought setting in across the northern half of the county. Rainfall across the southern half of the county in late October receded D2 and D3 drought to the northern half of the county through the end of October.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Clay County began October almost entirely within D2 drought. D2 drought expanded to cover all of the county by early to mid October with D3 drought setting in across the southern half of the county by mid October and continuing through the end of the month.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Platte County began October with the southern half in D2 drought. D2 drought would expand to cover the entire county with D3 drought setting in across the southern third of the county by mid October.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Cass County began October with a small sliver of D2 drought across the northeastern portion of the county. D2 would expand to cover all of the county by October 4th, with a small area of D3 across the northern edge of the county. Rains toward the end of the month removed D3 drought with some D2 drought remaining across the western and northern edges of the county through the end of the month.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Chariton County began October with just a small sliver across the western portions of the county in D2 drought, but would expand to cover almost all of the county by early to mid October.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Ray County began October mostly within D2 drought, with D3 drought setting in across southern Ray County toward the Missouri River by early October.

Significant precipitation deficits continued into October with severe to extreme drought persisting through the month. Bates County began October with just a small sliver across the southern portions of the county in D2 drought, but would expand to cover almost all of the county by October 4th with a small sliver of D3 across the southern edge of the county. Rainfall in late October would eliminate D3 drought with D2 only remaining across the western edges of the county through the end of the month.