Drought in Chambers County, AL: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Chambers County, AL: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (15 wk), 2002 (32 wk), 2006 (20 wk), 2007 (39 wk), 2008 (36 wk), 2010 (22 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2014 (13 wk), 2016 (27 wk), 2017 (13 wk), 2024 (14 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2015, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

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

Against the rest of AL

1st most drought-prone of 67 AL counties; the AL middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Randolph County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Morgan County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Nov (41% of weeks), then Jan (39%) and Oct (38%). Least in Apr (25%). May to September averages 32%.

39 Jan
31 Feb
27 Mar
25 Apr
31 May
27 Jun
33 Jul
34 Aug
35 Sep
38 Oct
41 Nov
33 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 32.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 21.3% at D2, 11.3% at D3, 62 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 136 weeks, Aug 3, 2010 to Mar 5, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 22 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.