Drought in Hamlin County, SD: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Hamlin County, SD: 9 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 (17 wk), 2004 (19 wk), 2011 (17 wk), 2012 (41 wk), 2013 (26 wk), 2023 (18 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (25 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 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 Apr, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of SD

49th most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Hand County (3.5 in 10) and Spink County (3.5 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 Apr (26% of weeks), then Feb (23%) and Mar (22%). Least in Jun (9%). May to September averages 12%.

19 Jan
23 Feb
22 Mar
26 Apr
13 May
9 Jun
10 Jul
14 Aug
14 Sep
14 Oct
20 Nov
19 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 16.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3% at D2, 0.3% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 43 weeks, Jul 17, 2012 to May 7, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 25 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 3 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.