Drought in Chippewa County, MI: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Chippewa County, MI: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (14 wk), 2005 (17 wk), 2007 (15 wk), 2010 (16 wk), 2021 (13 wk) and 2024 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2025.

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

Against the rest of MI

16th most drought-prone of 83 MI counties; the MI middle is 1.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Mackinac County (2.3 in 10) and Huron County (1.9 in 10). Driest in MI: Gogebic County (3.5 in 10). Least drought: Newaygo County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (15% of weeks), then Aug (14%) and Sep (13%). Least in Jan (1%). May to September averages 11%.

1 Jan
4 Feb
6 Mar
9 Apr
8 May
9 Jun
10 Jul
14 Aug
13 Sep
15 Oct
8 Nov
3 Dec

The worst year: 2024

2024: 21 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,400 weekly maps: 8.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 1.9% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 16 weeks, Jul 19, 2005 to Nov 1, 2005.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 6 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.