Drought in Harnett County, NC: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Harnett County, NC: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (20 wk), 2002 (42 wk), 2007 (29 wk), 2008 (30 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (24 wk) and 2025 (18 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2016, 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 Dec, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of NC

62nd most drought-prone of 100 NC counties; the NC middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Yancey County (2.7 in 10) and Watauga County (2.7 in 10). Driest in NC: Cleveland County (5 in 10). Least drought: Gates County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (30% of weeks), then Jan (27%) and Feb (25%). Least in Oct (18%). May to September averages 21%.

27 Jan
25 Feb
24 Mar
21 Apr
23 May
21 Jun
22 Jul
19 Aug
21 Sep
18 Oct
22 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9% at D2, 3.4% at D3, 22 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 75 weeks, Dec 7, 2010 to May 8, 2012.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 18 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.