Drought in Amelia County, VA: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Amelia County, VA: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (46 wk), 2006 (13 wk), 2007 (21 wk), 2008 (21 wk), 2012 (24 wk) and 2018 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2025.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Apr, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of VA

47th most drought-prone of 133 VA counties; the VA middle is 1.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Smyth County (2.3 in 10) and Northampton County (2.3 in 10). Driest in VA: Halifax County (3.1 in 10). Least drought: Covington City (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (22% of weeks), then Jul (18%) and Sep (18%). Least in Jun (10%). May to September averages 16%.

16 Jan
15 Feb
14 Mar
22 Apr
15 May
10 Jun
18 Jul
16 Aug
18 Sep
18 Oct
11 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 15.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.5% at D2, 1.6% at D3, 5 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 55 weeks, Oct 30, 2001 to Nov 12, 2002.

Lately

Last drought year: 2018, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 20 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.