Drought in Green County, WI: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (27 wk), 2005 (26 wk), 2012 (26 wk), 2021 (31 wk), 2022 (16 wk), 2023 (18 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (38 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of WI

25th most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Chippewa County (3.1 in 10) and Eau Claire County (3.1 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 Oct (23% of weeks), then Jan (20%) and Sep (20%). Least in May (4%). May to September averages 14%.

20 Jan
18 Feb
14 Mar
14 Apr
4 May
13 Jun
14 Jul
17 Aug
20 Sep
23 Oct
18 Nov
18 Dec

The worst year: 2025

2025: 38 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 16.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.4% at D2, 1.3% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 47 weeks, Jun 1, 2021 to Apr 19, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 38 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 12 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.