Drought in Brazoria County, TX: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Brazoria County, TX: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (38 wk), 2006 (24 wk), 2008 (14 wk), 2009 (39 wk), 2011 (44 wk), 2012 (18 wk), 2013 (34 wk), 2014 (19 wk), 2022 (39 wk) and 2023 (29 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2016 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 Apr peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of TX

232nd most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Harrison County (3.8 in 10) and Walker County (3.8 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 Apr (40% of weeks), then Mar (40%) and May (35%). Least in Dec (15%). May to September averages 28%.

20 Jan
25 Feb
40 Mar
40 Apr
35 May
29 Jun
26 Jul
29 Aug
20 Sep
26 Oct
24 Nov
15 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 44 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 27.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 15.1% at D2, 6.2% at D3, 50 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 56 weeks, Mar 1, 2011 to Mar 20, 2012.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 29 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 26 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.