Drought in Coahoma County, MS: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (37 wk), 2005 (24 wk), 2006 (13 wk), 2007 (22 wk), 2010 (25 wk), 2011 (17 wk), 2012 (24 wk), 2016 (14 wk), 2022 (29 wk), 2023 (15 wk) and 2024 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

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

Against the rest of MS

2nd most drought-prone of 82 MS counties; the MS middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Tallahatchie County (4.2 in 10) and Quitman County (3.8 in 10). Driest in MS: Tallahatchie County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Benton County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (42% of weeks), then Sep (37%) and Aug (33%). Least in May (8%). May to September averages 23%.

24 Jan
19 Feb
19 Mar
9 Apr
8 May
16 Jun
22 Jul
33 Aug
37 Sep
42 Oct
28 Nov
18 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 37 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.6% at D2, 2.7% at D3, 12 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 45 weeks, Dec 30, 2025 to Nov 3, 2026.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.