Drought in Hansford County, TX: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

Hansford County, TX: 13 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (31 wk), 2003 (18 wk), 2004 (19 wk), 2006 (31 wk), 2008 (22 wk), 2011 (42 wk), 2012 (46 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (18 wk), 2018 (25 wk), 2022 (52 wk) and 2023 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2007, 2010, 2019, 2024 and 2025.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Apr peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of TX

179th most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Hutchinson County (5 in 10) and Lamb County (5 in 10). Driest in TX: Uvalde County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Jasper County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (51% of weeks), then Mar (49%) and Jun (44%). Least in Sep (25%). May to September averages 36%.

38 Jan
39 Feb
49 Mar
51 Apr
42 May
44 Jun
38 Jul
31 Aug
25 Sep
28 Oct
31 Nov
37 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 37.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 27.3% at D2, 15.3% at D3, 133 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 152 weeks, Jun 12, 2012 to May 5, 2015.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 37 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.