Drought in Atchison County, MO: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Atchison County, MO: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (39 wk), 2002 (26 wk), 2003 (46 wk), 2006 (19 wk), 2012 (25 wk), 2013 (18 wk), 2014 (13 wk), 2018 (16 wk), 2020 (14 wk), 2022 (16 wk), 2023 (16 wk) and 2024 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

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 Jan peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of MO

2nd most drought-prone of 115 MO counties; the MO middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Jasper County (4.6 in 10) and Buchanan County (4.6 in 10). Driest in MO: Jasper County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Perry County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jan (33% of weeks), then Nov (31%) and Dec (30%). Least in Jun (10%). May to September averages 14%.

33 Jan
25 Feb
23 Mar
26 Apr
15 May
10 Jun
16 Jul
13 Aug
16 Sep
22 Oct
31 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 21.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 7.6% at D2, 2.4% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 43 weeks, Jul 10, 2012 to Apr 30, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 3 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.