Drought in Forest County, WI: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Forest County, WI: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2005 (13 wk), 2007 (42 wk), 2008 (26 wk), 2009 (37 wk), 2010 (31 wk), 2013 (15 wk), 2022 (18 wk), 2023 (27 wk), 2024 (32 wk) and 2025 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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

Against the rest of WI

11th most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Polk County (3.8 in 10) and Douglas County (3.8 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 Feb (31% of weeks), then Jan (31%) and Dec (29%). Least in May (10%). May to September averages 18%.

31 Jan
31 Feb
24 Mar
10 Apr
10 May
10 Jun
20 Jul
25 Aug
26 Sep
28 Oct
25 Nov
29 Dec

The worst year: 2007

2007: 42 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6% at D2, 0.8% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 40 weeks, May 15, 2007 to Feb 12, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 25 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.