Drought in Charlotte County, FL: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (33 wk), 2001 (29 wk), 2007 (44 wk), 2008 (26 wk), 2012 (20 wk), 2017 (16 wk), 2023 (21 wk) and 2025 (31 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021.

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

Against the rest of FL

39th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Levy County (3.1 in 10) and Dixie County (3.1 in 10). Driest in FL: Leon County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Monroe County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in May (46% of weeks), then Apr (43%) and Mar (40%). Least in Sep (6%). May to September averages 22%.

15 Jan
23 Feb
40 Mar
43 Apr
46 May
28 Jun
17 Jul
12 Aug
6 Sep
7 Oct
9 Nov
11 Dec

The worst year: 2007

2007: 44 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 21.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 11.7% at D2, 3.1% at D3, 16 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 70 weeks, Feb 27, 2007 to Jun 24, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 31 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 36 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.