It was a dry week for the nation as a whole, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
The map accompanying this article, released November 16, shows much of Southwest Arkansas in "severe drought" status and includes Columbia County.
A few patches near the coast recorded 6 to 12 inches of precipitation.
Across the remainder of the contiguous states, only a few small areas reported over 1.5 inches, with most locations observing little or none.
No measurable precipitation has fallen during the last 30 to 45 days in southwestern Kansas, western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and interior southern Texas while 90-day deficits are generally between 4 and 8 inches from central Mississippi westward to northeastern Texas and northward through eastern Oklahoma, much of Arkansas, and the southern half of Missouri.
The month or more without measurable precipitation was stressing winter wheat in and near western Oklahoma, prompting northwestward D0 expansion into the area.
D2 was expanded into the St. Louis, Missouri area, where low streamflows and longer-term precipitation deficits (4 to 6 months) exist.
D2 was also expanded to cover areas from southern Missouri southward into northeast Texas and northwestern Louisiana, where 3-month deficits are the largest.
A small area in west-central Arkansas and adjacent Oklahoma accumulated a deficit exceeding 10 inches since mid-August.
"Severe drought" status may mean crops or pastures losses likely, water shortages common, and water restrictions imposed, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.