Though they don't have full reassurance for this summer, farmers worried about last summer's drought conditions persisting can breathe a humid sigh of relief.
Most of Missouri, including Callaway County, are drought-free according to U.S. Drought Monitor data for Missouri as of April 16.
This predates heavy rainfalls that fell in mid-Missouri, causing many flash floods in Callaway. The county received five to eight inches of rain in the past two weeks according to the National Weather Service's observed precipitation analysis.
The elevation in precipitation and resulting ground moisture is welcome news in much of the agriculture world compared to last year, in which a relatively snow-free winter and dry, hot summer gave way to one of the worst droughts in recent memory. However, there can be too much of a good thing, warns MU Extension Assistant Professor of Climatology Pat Guinan.
"Obviously there's no drought to be spoken of, but it's around that time for spring planting and the fields are saturated," said Guinan. "To an extent, when (farmers) can't get into the field, they'd like some nice drying weather, and these wet, cool conditions have prevented that."