Drought in Grant County, SD: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Grant County, SD: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (16 wk), 2003 (19 wk), 2004 (21 wk), 2012 (34 wk), 2013 (21 wk), 2023 (32 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2017 and 2019.

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 Feb, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of SD

62nd most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Beadle County (3.1 in 10) and Codington County (3.1 in 10). Driest in SD: Jackson County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Clark County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Feb (27% of weeks), then Mar (24%) and Apr (22%). Least in May (8%). May to September averages 11%.

19 Jan
27 Feb
24 Mar
22 Apr
8 May
9 Jun
11 Jul
13 Aug
16 Sep
17 Oct
20 Nov
19 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 34 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 16.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 2.9% at D2, 1.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 32 weeks, Oct 21, 2003 to May 25, 2004.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 9 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.