Drought in Carbon County, UT: 5.8 years in 10 since 2000

5.8 years in 10

Carbon County, UT: 15 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (38 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2007 (40 wk), 2012 (39 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (34 wk), 2015 (36 wk), 2018 (52 wk), 2019 (23 wk), 2020 (46 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (52 wk), 2023 (20 wk) and 2025 (39 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2024.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (7 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (5 in 10).

Against the rest of UT

21st most drought-prone of 29 UT counties; the UT middle is 6.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Sevier County (5.8 in 10) and Wayne County (5.8 in 10). Driest in UT: Tooele County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Duchesne County (5.4 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (56% of weeks), then Sep (54%) and Jul (54%). Least in Mar (42%). May to September averages 54%.

48 Jan
44 Feb
42 Mar
50 Apr
53 May
53 Jun
54 Jul
56 Aug
54 Sep
52 Oct
47 Nov
50 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 50.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 33% at D2, 17.4% at D3, 53 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 159 weeks, May 5, 2020 to May 16, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 39 weeks. 2016-2025: 7 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.