Drought in Boulder County, CO: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (48 wk), 2003 (26 wk), 2004 (18 wk), 2006 (22 wk), 2010 (14 wk), 2011 (19 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2013 (23 wk), 2017 (19 wk), 2020 (20 wk), 2021 (28 wk), 2022 (21 wk) and 2024 (26 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2023.

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 CO

46th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Adams County (5 in 10) and Hinsdale County (4.6 in 10). Driest in CO: Otero County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Grand County (3.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (33% of weeks), then Nov (32%) and Mar (32%). Least in May (19%). May to September averages 23%.

27 Jan
28 Feb
32 Mar
30 Apr
19 May
21 Jun
27 Jul
23 Aug
24 Sep
33 Oct
32 Nov
31 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 48 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 27.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 13.6% at D2, 4.5% at D3, 11 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 67 weeks, Feb 5, 2002 to May 13, 2003.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 26 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.