Drought in Columbia County, OR: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Columbia County, OR: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (41 wk), 2014 (21 wk), 2015 (21 wk), 2018 (27 wk), 2019 (25 wk), 2021 (32 wk) and 2025 (29 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2024.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (4 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of OR

35th most drought-prone of 36 OR counties; the OR middle is 4.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Tillamook County (3.1 in 10) and Clatsop County (2.7 in 10). Driest in OR: Lake County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Clatsop County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (30% of weeks), then Aug (26%) and Oct (26%). Least in Feb (8%). May to September averages 23%.

8 Jan
8 Feb
11 Mar
9 Apr
18 May
18 Jun
24 Jul
26 Aug
30 Sep
26 Oct
17 Nov
9 Dec

The worst year: 2001

2001: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 17.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 4.7% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 41 weeks, Feb 13, 2001 to Nov 20, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 29 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.