Drought in Columbia County, WI: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Columbia County, WI: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (26 wk), 2012 (16 wk), 2021 (20 wk), 2022 (16 wk), 2023 (30 wk) and 2024 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2025.

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 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of WI

49th most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Jefferson County (2.3 in 10) and Dane County (2.3 in 10). Driest in WI: Barron County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Fond du Lac County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (17% of weeks), then Mar (14%) and Aug (14%). Least in May (4%). May to September averages 12%.

10 Jan
12 Feb
14 Mar
11 Apr
4 May
9 Jun
14 Jul
14 Aug
17 Sep
13 Oct
7 Nov
7 Dec

The worst year: 2023

2023: 30 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 11.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.1% at D2, 0.5% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 46 weeks, Jun 6, 2023 to Apr 16, 2024.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.