Drought in Chase County, KS: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2011 (31 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2013 (30 wk), 2014 (24 wk), 2015 (15 wk), 2018 (35 wk), 2022 (23 wk) and 2023 (46 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017, 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 Aug, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of KS

102nd most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Coffey County (3.1 in 10) and Saline County (3.1 in 10). Driest in KS: Morton County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Dickinson County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (29% of weeks), then Jul (27%) and Apr (25%). Least in Mar (11%). May to September averages 24%.

18 Jan
13 Feb
11 Mar
25 Apr
23 May
20 Jun
27 Jul
29 Aug
21 Sep
23 Oct
21 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2023

2023: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.3% at D2, 3.4% at D3, 18 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 59 weeks, Jun 12, 2012 to Jul 23, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 46 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.