Drought in Foster County, ND: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2006 (26 wk), 2012 (23 wk), 2013 (23 wk), 2020 (14 wk), 2021 (51 wk) and 2022 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2019, 2024 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.

Against the rest of ND

42nd most drought-prone of 53 ND counties; the ND middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Richland County (2.7 in 10) and Nelson County (2.3 in 10). Driest in ND: Bowman County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Barnes County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (28% of weeks), then Oct (23%) and Nov (23%). Least in Jun (6%). May to September averages 15%.

16 Jan
18 Feb
19 Mar
17 Apr
7 May
6 Jun
12 Jul
22 Aug
28 Sep
23 Oct
23 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 51 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 17.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6.9% at D2, 1.4% at D3, 4 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 65 weeks, Sep 29, 2020 to Dec 21, 2021.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 9 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.