In light of continuing drought conditions across the state, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources is encouraging people to report local drought conditions in their area to help local, state and national decision-makers better understand and assess drought conditions and impacts in Missouri.
Missouri drought conditions continue to worsen. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Climate and Weather Committee, in consultation with the State Climatologist and partners from the National Weather Service, is actively monitoring drought conditions and any impacts occurring in Missouri’s communities.
CMOR is an online collaborative effort to crowdsource data on ground-level drought conditions as they develop. Reports and photographs submitted through CMOR are used by state and federal officials to ensure the national drought map accurately portrays conditions in Missouri and other states. By ensuring the map’s accuracy, federal resources can be made available as soon as possible for drought-affected areas.
The CMOR system, managed by the National Drought Mitigation Center, collects reports of local weather conditions and impacts around the country. Your report will become part of the permanent record, appearing immediately on an interactive map visible to the public, including authors of the U.S. Drought Monitor and the media.
The Drought Monitor is used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to trigger disaster declarations and eligibility for low-interest loans and assistance programs. State and local decision makers also use the map to implement drought response activities.
Information incorporated in a CMOR report includes how dry or wet it is and how current conditions compare to what’s typical, in the eyes of the observer. The system allows users to also note impacts on different sectors, such as crop and livestock production, municipal water supply, recreation and public health. We encourage Missourians to submit photos along with their reports to illustrate what conditions look like in your community.
People can submit reports as frequently as they would like. Frequent reporting is particularly useful during times of rapid change and extreme weather, but we encourage users to participate year-round to provide an ongoing comparison of wet, dry and normal conditions.
A variety of helpful online resources are available at dnr.mo.gov/drought. The one-stop drought information website features current drought-related news, a series of Missouri drought maps and current condition reports, U.S. Drought Monitor, Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan and other resources, including information on past droughts.
