Drought in Catron County, NM: 6.5 years in 10 since 2000

6.5 years in 10

Catron County, NM: 17 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (43 wk), 2003 (49 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2006 (29 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (37 wk), 2014 (49 wk), 2015 (37 wk), 2016 (26 wk), 2018 (52 wk), 2019 (48 wk), 2020 (24 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (33 wk), 2023 (19 wk) and 2025 (52 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2007 and 2009.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (8 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (5.6 in 10).

Against the rest of NM

20th most drought-prone of 33 NM counties; the NM middle is 6.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Sierra County (6.9 in 10) and Bernalillo County (6.5 in 10). Driest in NM: Hidalgo County (8.1 in 10). Least drought: San Miguel County (5.4 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jun (64% of weeks), then Apr (62%) and May (62%). Least in Oct (44%). May to September averages 60%.

54 Jan
59 Feb
60 Mar
62 Apr
62 May
64 Jun
62 Jul
59 Aug
54 Sep
44 Oct
46 Nov
50 Dec

The worst year: 2004

2004: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 56.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 37.5% at D2, 13.7% at D3, 108 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 145 weeks, Dec 7, 2010 to Sep 10, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 52 weeks. 2016-2025: 8 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 39 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.