Drought in Franklin County, MA: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (13 wk), 2002 (20 wk), 2016 (26 wk), 2017 (13 wk), 2022 (20 wk) and 2025 (35 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2023.

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.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (4 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of MA

5th most drought-prone of 14 MA counties; the MA middle is 1.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Hampden County (2.7 in 10) and Hampshire County (2.3 in 10). Driest in MA: Worcester County (3.1 in 10). Least drought: Berkshire County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (17% of weeks), then Nov (17%) and Dec (16%). Least in Jun (10%). May to September averages 13%.

13 Jan
13 Feb
13 Mar
14 Apr
12 May
10 Jun
15 Jul
13 Aug
17 Sep
14 Oct
17 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2025

2025: 35 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 13.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 4.3% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 39 weeks, Jul 5, 2016 to Mar 28, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 35 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 20 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.