Drought in Denton County, TX: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Denton County, TX: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (24 wk), 2003 (21 wk), 2005 (35 wk), 2006 (49 wk), 2011 (31 wk), 2012 (24 wk), 2013 (51 wk), 2014 (43 wk), 2015 (26 wk), 2018 (23 wk), 2021 (15 wk), 2022 (28 wk), 2023 (24 wk) and 2024 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2016 and 2025.

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

Against the rest of TX

167th most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Collin County (5.4 in 10) and Jack County (5.4 in 10). Driest in TX: Uvalde County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Jasper County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (49% of weeks), then Oct (45%) and Sep (43%). Least in May (18%). May to September averages 34%.

29 Jan
27 Feb
34 Mar
26 Apr
18 May
25 Jun
33 Jul
49 Aug
43 Sep
45 Oct
38 Nov
38 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 51 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 33.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 18.7% at D2, 6.4% at D3, 31 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 74 weeks, Jul 24, 2012 to Dec 17, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 10 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.