Will drought in Missouri become the norm?

Forsyth Missouri rainfall by month

Forsyth MO. - I've watched, with some concern, the rainfall deficit that piled up in my southwest corner of Missouri over all of 2016. And, as other parts of the US were in even sadder shape, it gave me pause to wonder. Was I seeing evidence of enhanced global climate change? Or, was the lack of rainfall just another in a series of  'normal' atmospheric cycles?

The graphic above displays the 'average' rainfall amounts by month compared to what I actually recorded. I noticed that only the month of July saw rainfall in excess of the average! as a matter of fact, by the end of November, my area was about fifteen inches behind the average for the year! In other parts of the country, things were much much worst!

In the graphic at right, those red areas are not good news. Southern California has been in sad shape going on for some years and is facing a dire future! Over in the southeast, the drought there has only recently developed to the point of being 'exceptional' in some areas. It does make one wonder as to what is going on.

What is for sure, will be the negative impact on the price of some crops as we enter into 2017.