Drought in Cheshire County, NH: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Cheshire County, NH: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (15 wk), 2002 (20 wk), 2016 (19 wk), 2017 (16 wk), 2020 (19 wk), 2022 (15 wk) and 2025 (26 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2019 and 2023.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of NH

5th most drought-prone of 10 NH counties; the NH middle is 2.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Hillsborough County (2.7 in 10) and Merrimack County (2.3 in 10). Driest in NH: Strafford County (3.1 in 10). Least drought: Grafton County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (18% of weeks), then Nov (17%) and Apr (16%). Least in Jun (6%). May to September averages 10%.

12 Jan
11 Feb
10 Mar
16 Apr
9 May
6 Jun
10 Jul
8 Aug
18 Sep
11 Oct
17 Nov
11 Dec

The worst year: 2025

2025: 26 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 11.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.2% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 28 weeks, Oct 30, 2001 to May 7, 2002.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 26 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 3 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.