Drought in Franklin County, NY: 1.2 years in 10 since 2000

1.2 years in 10

Franklin County, NY: 3 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. Less drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2016 (18 wk), 2018 (15 wk) and 2021 (27 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

A regular lawn is fine here; plan for the odd dry year

Real droughts are rare here. A smart controller that skips watering after rain covers the odd dry year.

You can keep a regular lawn. Worth doing: a rain-sensing or smart controller, and deeper, less frequent watering if Sep turns dry.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (3 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (0 in 10).

Against the rest of NY

21st most drought-prone of 62 NY counties; the NY middle is 0.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Livingston County (1.2 in 10) and Yates County (1.2 in 10). Driest in NY: Rockland County (2.3 in 10). Least drought: Otsego County (0 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (12% of weeks), then Oct (11%) and Aug (8%). Least in May (3%). May to September averages 7%.

7 Jan
4 Feb
4 Mar
3 Apr
3 May
4 Jun
7 Jul
8 Aug
12 Sep
11 Oct
7 Nov
6 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 27 weeks in drought, peaking at D1 moderate. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 6.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 22 weeks, Aug 30, 2016 to Jan 24, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2021, 27 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 0 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.