Drought in Hays County, TX: 6.5 years in 10 since 2000

6.5 years in 10

Hays County, TX: 17 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (36 wk), 2005 (17 wk), 2006 (52 wk), 2008 (40 wk), 2009 (46 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (37 wk), 2013 (44 wk), 2014 (30 wk), 2018 (18 wk), 2019 (20 wk), 2020 (16 wk), 2021 (17 wk), 2022 (44 wk), 2023 (52 wk), 2024 (35 wk) and 2025 (43 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004.

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 Feb peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (8 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (5.6 in 10).

Against the rest of TX

37th most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Presidio County (6.5 in 10) and Karnes County (6.5 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 Feb (58% of weeks), then Oct (53%) and Sep (53%). Least in Jul (42%). May to September averages 47%.

52 Jan
58 Feb
50 Mar
46 Apr
48 May
45 Jun
42 Jul
47 Aug
53 Sep
53 Oct
47 Nov
46 Dec

The worst year: 2006

2006: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 48.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 32.7% at D2, 20.3% at D3, 163 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 116 weeks, Mar 15, 2022 to May 28, 2024.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 43 weeks. 2016-2025: 8 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 36 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.