Drought in Carroll County, MS: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (32 wk), 2007 (19 wk), 2010 (14 wk), 2011 (16 wk), 2015 (13 wk), 2016 (24 wk), 2017 (13 wk), 2022 (14 wk), 2023 (15 wk) and 2024 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2021.

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

Against the rest of MS

6th most drought-prone of 82 MS counties; the MS middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Washington County (3.8 in 10) and Holmes County (3.8 in 10). Driest in MS: Tallahatchie County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Benton County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (29% of weeks), then Oct (29%) and Nov (26%). Least in Apr (6%). May to September averages 19%.

22 Jan
16 Feb
13 Mar
6 Apr
8 May
15 Jun
18 Jul
24 Aug
29 Sep
29 Oct
26 Nov
15 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 32 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 18.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.3% at D2, 3.4% at D3, 18 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 36 weeks, Mar 3, 2026 to Nov 3, 2026.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 37 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.