Drought in Clay County, IA: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

Clay County, IA: 11 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (31 wk), 2003 (17 wk), 2012 (44 wk), 2013 (36 wk), 2014 (23 wk), 2020 (24 wk), 2021 (39 wk), 2022 (28 wk), 2023 (43 wk), 2024 (15 wk) and 2025 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (3.1 in 10).

Against the rest of IA

28th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Appanoose County (4.2 in 10) and Guthrie County (4.2 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (32% of weeks), then Oct (30%) and Aug (29%). Least in Jun (12%). May to September averages 22%.

26 Jan
28 Feb
32 Mar
25 Apr
19 May
12 Jun
23 Jul
29 Aug
24 Sep
30 Oct
28 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 44 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 25.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 12.6% at D2, 4.3% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 71 weeks, Jun 21, 2022 to Oct 24, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 10 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.