Drought in Colleton County, SC: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Colleton County, SC: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (23 wk), 2001 (32 wk), 2002 (40 wk), 2007 (22 wk), 2008 (30 wk), 2011 (41 wk), 2012 (39 wk) and 2022 (18 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2023.

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

This is one step drier than the yearly count alone suggests, because 30% of growing-season weeks here were in drought.

Against the rest of SC

37th most drought-prone of 46 SC counties; the SC middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Florence County (3.5 in 10) and Marlboro County (3.1 in 10). Driest in SC: Abbeville County (5.8 in 10). Least drought: Charleston County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in May (39% of weeks), then Apr (37%) and Jul (35%). Least in Dec (14%). May to September averages 30%.

20 Jan
19 Feb
30 Mar
37 Apr
39 May
35 Jun
35 Jul
24 Aug
19 Sep
18 Oct
19 Nov
14 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 25.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 11.3% at D2, 5.7% at D3, 9 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 73 weeks, Mar 22, 2011 to Aug 7, 2012.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 18 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.