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

4.2 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (23 wk), 2002 (24 wk), 2003 (22 wk), 2012 (30 wk), 2013 (20 wk), 2014 (18 wk), 2018 (18 wk), 2022 (21 wk), 2023 (30 wk), 2024 (41 wk) and 2025 (36 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 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 Feb peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of KS

61st most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Cloud County (4.2 in 10) and Cherokee County (4.2 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 Feb (30% of weeks), then Nov (29%) and Jan (28%). Least in Jun (8%). May to September averages 18%.

28 Jan
30 Feb
24 Mar
22 Apr
15 May
8 Jun
17 Jul
25 Aug
24 Sep
24 Oct
29 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2024

2024: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 7% at D2, 0.2% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 50 weeks, Jun 5, 2012 to May 14, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 36 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.