Drought in Cayey Municipio, PR: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Cayey Municipio, PR: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2007 (13 wk), 2015 (31 wk), 2016 (25 wk), 2019 (28 wk), 2021 (14 wk) and 2022 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2025.

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 Aug, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (4 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of PR

2nd most drought-prone of 78 PR counties; the PR middle is 0.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Salinas Municipio (2.7 in 10) and Cidra Municipio (1.9 in 10). Driest in PR: Salinas Municipio (2.7 in 10). Least drought: Mayaguez Municipio (0 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (24% of weeks), then Jul (23%) and Jun (16%). Least in May (4%). May to September averages 16%.

12 Jan
12 Feb
11 Mar
10 Apr
4 May
16 Jun
23 Jul
24 Aug
13 Sep
7 Oct
5 Nov
12 Dec

The worst year: 2015

2015: 31 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 12.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.7% at D2, 1.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 48 weeks, Jun 2, 2015 to Apr 26, 2016.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 20 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.