Drought in Covington County, MS: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (45 wk), 2006 (16 wk), 2007 (18 wk), 2010 (14 wk), 2011 (18 wk) and 2023 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 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 Oct, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of MS

68th most drought-prone of 82 MS counties; the MS middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Jasper County (2.3 in 10) and Lauderdale County (2.3 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 (22% of weeks), then Nov (20%) and Sep (16%). Least in Jan (10%). May to September averages 13%.

10 Jan
10 Feb
11 Mar
11 Apr
12 May
13 Jun
13 Jul
10 Aug
16 Sep
22 Oct
20 Nov
15 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 45 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 13.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.1% at D2, 2.3% at D3, 14 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 31 weeks, May 30, 2000 to Dec 26, 2000.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 14 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.