COLUMBIA — Nearly 61% of Missouri was categorized as "abnormally dry" as of Aug. 26, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor Map for Missouri . This figure is up about 11 percentage points from the figure from the week before.

This comes as a stark contrast to July 22, when no counties in Missouri were highlighted on the drought monitor for the first time in three years. The following week, Missouri still had zero counties experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

Mark Fuchs, senior service hydrologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said that if Missouri doesn't receive more rain, this month would make August 2025 the second driest August and the third driest month on record in Missouri.

"It's actually getting into some historic territory," Fuchs said. "The driest month

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