Drought in Cass County, MI: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Cass County, MI: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (19 wk), 2002 (16 wk), 2003 (18 wk), 2005 (28 wk), 2012 (14 wk), 2021 (14 wk) and 2025 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Dec, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of MI

7th most drought-prone of 83 MI counties; the MI middle is 1.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Saint Joseph County (2.7 in 10) and Calhoun County (2.7 in 10). Driest in MI: Gogebic County (3.5 in 10). Least drought: Newaygo County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (17% of weeks), then Nov (15%) and Feb (14%). Least in Aug (7%). May to September averages 10%.

13 Jan
14 Feb
10 Mar
12 Apr
10 May
8 Jun
13 Jul
7 Aug
10 Sep
13 Oct
15 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2005

2005: 28 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 11.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 2.9% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 32 weeks, Oct 1, 2002 to May 6, 2003.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.