November rains bust drought across Missouri
By Meteorologist Jared Shelton
Drier-than-normal conditions have been a common theme for much of fall 2024 throughout the Central Plains and Mid-Missouri River Valley. But a pattern change in recent weeks has changed the narrative, with back-to-back rounds of beneficial rain quenching thirsty soils and even flooding parts of the Show Me state.
To recap, repeated bouts of early fall heat and lengthy dry periods allowed drought to begin rapidly developing and intensifying across much of Kansas and Missouri in September. Only 1.31 inches of rain fell in St. Joseph in all of September, a fraction of the average 3.18 inches for the first month of meteorological fall. The majority of October was not much better locally or regionally. Measurable rainfall was recorded at St. Joseph’s Rosecrans Airport on only three occasions through the entire month of October — a trace on Oct. 21, 0.35 inches on Oct. 24 and a more substantial 1.91 inches on Oct. 30.
October rainfall tallies still came in a bit below normal after the pre-Halloween washout in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas, but the break in dry conditions did usher in a much wetter period for most of the Plains and Midwest.
A parade of low-pressure systems brought copious amounts of gulf moisture to swaths of the heartland through early November. In some cases, the rain proved to be too much at one time for parts of the Show Me state. Despite the widespread drought, record rainfall produced major flooding in sections of central, eastern and southern Missouri. In less than 48 hours, the Meramec River jumped from near-normal levels to major flood stage when heavy rain fell on Nov. 4 and 5. The flooding ultimately proved deadly, as three fatalities took place across the state, one in Iron County and two more in the St. Louis metro.
The Mid-Missouri River Valley was fortunate enough to receive reasonable amounts of rain in several doses through early November, keeping flooding to a minimum but putting soil moisture on the mend. So far, 2.91 inches of rain has fallen in St. Joseph, well over the monthly average total of 1.87 inches. Not surprisingly, drought across the state has improved significantly in recent weeks. On Oct. 29, 74% of Missouri was in moderate to extreme drought. By Nov. 19, that figure plummeted to 27%.
While conditions have improved, southern parts of Buchanan County are still in some form of drought. However, most of Andrew, Nodaway, DeKalb, Gentry and Worth counties have erased drought conditions in a rapid turnaround from rainfall deficits that developed over months.
