Drought in Archer County, TX: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Archer County, TX: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (14 wk), 2003 (17 wk), 2005 (20 wk), 2006 (49 wk), 2008 (15 wk), 2009 (19 wk), 2011 (45 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (25 wk), 2018 (16 wk), 2022 (41 wk) and 2024 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2016 and 2020.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of TX

152nd most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Moore County (5.4 in 10) and Palo Pinto County (5.4 in 10). Driest in TX: Uvalde County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Jasper County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (45% of weeks), then Feb (43%) and Mar (43%). Least in Jun (26%). May to September averages 34%.

41 Jan
43 Feb
43 Mar
34 Apr
34 May
26 Jun
33 Jul
38 Aug
38 Sep
45 Oct
36 Nov
37 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 37.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 21.3% at D2, 11.1% at D3, 151 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 222 weeks, Feb 22, 2011 to May 19, 2015.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 6.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 25 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.