Drought in Missouri

Events

2,482

Deaths

0

Injuries

350

Damage

$454 million

• Drought in Missouri, November 1 to 30, 2022350 injured · $13 million · 24 eventsExtreme (D3) Drought conditions continued across portions of southwestern Missouri. Drought conditions saw some improvements across portions of the southwest Missouri Ozarks during the month of November.
• Drought in Missouri, August 1 to 31, 2012$178 million · 34 eventsA persistent upper level high pressure ridge over the central portions of the country caused more dry conditions for the area. Severe to exceptional drought remained in place across southwestern Missouri through the month.
• Drought in Missouri, December 1 to 31, 2023$52 million · 22 eventsSome locations saw improvement through the month. Severe (D2) drought contracted in parts of west central Missouri, but expanded into east central and south central Missouri. Some locations in central Missouri noted Extreme (D3) drought by the end of the month.
• Drought in Missouri, November 1 to 30, 2025$30 million · 20 eventsThe month began with Severe (D2) drought lingering across the Ozarks. Locations across west central and southern Missouri saw drought conditions improve through the month thanks to some beneficial rainfall.
• Drought in Missouri, August 1 to 31, 2011$57 million · 6 eventsPersistent high pressure over the region produced excessively high temperatures and limited rainfall during the month.
• Drought in Missouri, November 1 to 30, 2024$19 million · 25 eventsDrought Conditions diminished through the month. A period of significant rains fell across the region early in the month with 3 to 8 inches of rainfall measured at some locations.
• Drought in Missouri, February 1 to 28, 2023$34 million · 3 eventsDrought conditions saw improvement across portions of the southwest Missouri Ozarks during the month.
• Drought in Missouri, October 1 to 31, 2023$13 million · 15 eventsSome locations saw improvement through the month but areas of the Extreme (D3) Drought saw expansion through the end of September. Drought conditions did contract across portions the Missouri Ozarks generally along and south of I-44.
• Drought in Missouri, September 1 to 30, 2007$12 million · 11 eventsSevere drought conditions that developed over southeast Missouri in August persisted through September. The persistent 500 mb high over the southeast and south central U.S. started to break down at times, allowing an increase in rainfall.
• Drought in Missouri, December 1 to 31, 2022$12 million · 7 eventsDrought conditions saw improvements across portions of the southwest Missouri Ozarks during the month of December. By the last week of December, the US Drought Monitor had designated around 23 percent of the area as being in moderate drought (D1) to significant drought (D4).
• Drought in Missouri, August 1 to 31, 2005$12 million · 2 eventsThe 2005 drought that started back in June continued through the month of August 2005 and into September 2005. Severe to extreme drought continued across the northern half of Illinois, eastern third of Iowa, and northeast Missouri.
• Drought in Missouri, December 1 to 31, 2025$6.7 million · 10 eventsThe month began with Severe (D2) drought lingering across the Ozarks. Little to no improvement and some expansion of drought conditions occurred through the month.
• Drought in Missouri, August 1 to 31, 2022$2.2 million · 30 eventsDrought conditions improved over most of the Missouri Ozarks during the month, thanks to periods of heavy rainfall from early August to late August.
• Drought in Missouri, July 1 to 31, 2005$8.5 million · 2 eventsThe drought that began back in June 2005 continued through July and into August 2005 and spread into Eastern Iowa and Northeast Missouri.
• Drought in Missouri, August 1 to 31, 2023$1.9 million · 17 eventsSome locations saw improvement from Extreme (D3) Drought by the end of August Extreme drought remained for portions of west central Missouri.
• Drought in Missouri, October 1 to 31, 1999$660,000 · 34 eventsDrought conditions existed across central, south central, and southwest Missouri from early July through October.
• Drought in Missouri, July 1 to 31, 2023$850,000 · 19 eventsWhile some locations saw improvement from Extreme (D3) Drought by the end of July Extreme drought remained for portions of west central and central Missouri.
• Drought in Missouri, October 1 to 31, 2022$580,000 · 25 eventsDrought conditions saw some improvements across portions of the southwest Missouri Ozarks during the month of October. By the last week of October, the US Drought Monitor had designated around 84 percent of the area as being in moderate drought (D1) to significant drought (D4).
• Drought in Missouri, October 1 to 31, 2025$370,000 · 28 eventsExtreme (D3) drought developed across portions of the Missouri Ozarks. Locations in central and southern Missouri saw drought conditions worsen through the month after continued limited rainfall during the month of October.
• Drought in Missouri, January 1 to 31, 2024$523,000 · 18 eventsImprovement in drought conditions across the Ozarks occurred through the month. Severe (D2) drought contracted in parts of central and southern Missouri.
• Drought in Missouri, September 1 to 30, 2011$35,000 · 11 eventsSevere drought remained in place across portions southwestern Missouri as rain fell sparingly during the month. While rainfall was near normal for the month, many locations received this precipitation in a few days with the majority of the month dry.
• Drought in Missouri, April 1 to 30, 200037 eventsApril 2000 was the driest on record in the state of Missouri, according to the Midwestern Climate Center.
• Drought in Missouri, July 1 to 31, 201237 eventsDry conditions, which started in the spring, intensified during the month of July. Drought conditions expanded across Missouri, with D2 conditions at the beginning of the month, increasing to D3 conditions by the end of the month.
• Drought in Missouri, September 1 to 30, 201237 eventsThe remnants of Hurricane Isaac, brought some much needed relief to drought conditions across the area, on the 1st of September. This helped improve drought conditions from D4 and D3 to D3 and D2.
• Drought in Missouri, August 1 to 31, 201237 eventsDry conditions, which started in the spring, intensified during the month of August. Drought D2 and D3 conditions at the beginning of the month, increased to D3 and D4 conditions by the end of the month.

Drought everywhereEvery kind of event in Missouri

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.