The latest Drought Monitor from the USDA shows our region in persistent drought, with more development likely in coming weeks.

A larger portion of the central Midwest has fallen into drought conditions caused by a lack of significant rainfall since late July.

Our quad-state region is entirely contained in the geographic center of the driest conditions along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

In Kentucky, all but a half-dozen counties along the Virginia border are under D-0 abnormally dry conditions, or D-1 moderate drought. In westernmost Kentucky, Ohio River counties are abnormally dry, and Tennessee border counties are under moderate drought, along with most of the rest of the state.

In Illinois, all but the northern third of the state became classified as abnormally dry just in the pa

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