Drought in Cerro Gordo County, IA: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Cerro Gordo County, IA: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2003 (21 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (18 wk), 2021 (35 wk), 2022 (26 wk), 2023 (34 wk) and 2024 (34 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

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

Against the rest of IA

82nd most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Wright County (3.1 in 10) and Worth County (3.1 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jan (30% of weeks), then Feb (28%) and Dec (26%). Least in Jun (12%). May to September averages 14%.

30 Jan
28 Feb
23 Mar
17 Apr
13 May
12 Jun
13 Jul
14 Aug
16 Sep
22 Oct
26 Nov
26 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.8% at D2, 5.6% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 77 weeks, Nov 15, 2011 to Apr 30, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 34 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 4 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.