Drought in El Paso County, CO: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (41 wk), 2003 (42 wk), 2004 (29 wk), 2006 (22 wk), 2011 (37 wk), 2012 (37 wk), 2013 (37 wk), 2017 (14 wk), 2018 (51 wk), 2019 (17 wk), 2020 (35 wk), 2021 (29 wk), 2022 (52 wk) and 2023 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2015 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 Jul peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (7 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (4.4 in 10).

Against the rest of CO

32nd most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: San Juan County (5.4 in 10) and Logan County (5.4 in 10). Driest in CO: Otero County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Grand County (3.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jul (43% of weeks), then May (42%) and Jun (41%). Least in Oct (32%). May to September averages 39%.

37 Jan
37 Feb
40 Mar
40 Apr
42 May
41 Jun
43 Jul
38 Aug
33 Sep
32 Oct
38 Nov
33 Dec

The worst year: 2022

2022: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 37.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 18.2% at D2, 9.8% at D3, 68 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 81 weeks, Oct 26, 2021 to May 9, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 7 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 25 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.