Columbia just went 20 days without measurable rainfall, a streak that ties for the 5th-longest dry spell our area has seen since 2020.

It's also the 5th-longest dry spell in the last decade, as these streaks have accelerated in recent years. Here are the five longest rain-free streaks recorded in Columbia since 2020:

A 30-day drought that closed out October 2024 still holds the top spot by a wide margin. Four of the ten longest dry streaks in this six-year window have happened in just the last 14 months.

Expanding back over the last decade, nine of the top ten longest dry spells in Columbia have occurred since 2023. Just one from the twentyteens made the list, a 20-day drought that ended in mid-September 2017.

That's not necessarily proof of a long-term trend on its own, but it fits a pattern meteorologists and climate scientists have been watching in Missouri and around the world: Longer gaps are occurring between rain events, even when annual totals don't change dramatically.

Dry streaks are common in Missouri, but timing is important. Our recent dry spell is rapidly intensifying drought conditions into the early fall and increasing fire risk across Mid-Missouri.

Three weeks with no meaningful rainfall has slowly drained moisture out of the soil and vegetation, allowing the landscape to carry fire more easily. Fuels like grass, brush, and leaf litter have become much more receptive to ignition.

Fire officials are urging caution as people head out for fall activities. Hunters using ATVs and other equipment should watch for anything that can cause sparks, as should farmers. Grillers and bonfire starters need to monitor embers closely and properly discrard charcoal.

Our rain-free stretch will come to an end Wednesday night as a cold front delivers several inches of rain to parts of Mid-Missouri. We would need to see about 2.5 inches of rainfall in Columbia to catch up on our rain deficit.