– Share of state experiencing drought conditions (20-year average): 22,264 sq. mi. (31.9% of land area); 1,835,512 people (30.6% of population)

— Moderate drought: 10,948 sq. mi. (15.7% of land area); 886,968 people (14.8% of population)

— Severe drought: 3,964 sq. mi. (5.7% of land area); 294,314 people (4.9% of population)

— Extreme drought: 1,078 sq. mi. (1.5% of land area); 75,282 people (1.3% of population)

— Exceptional drought: 98 sq. mi. (0.1% of land area); 7,703 people (0.1% of population)

As of March 2021, 6% of Missouri was dry, creating problems with crop planting and growth. But from 2000 to 2010, rising temperatures caused an epic drought that depleted the Missouri River—the longest river in the U.S.—to historic lows. Snowpack melt from the Rocky Mountains, which feeds the river, fell to levels so low that the mighty Missouri was lower and drier than it had been in 1,200 years.