Drought in Henderson County, IL: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2003 (21 wk), 2005 (28 wk), 2006 (33 wk), 2011 (14 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (24 wk) and 2023 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2021.

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

Against the rest of IL

16th most drought-prone of 102 IL counties; the IL middle is 2.3 in 10. Closest on the list: Cass County (3.5 in 10) and Logan County (3.1 in 10). Driest in IL: Hancock County (3.8 in 10). Least drought: Edwards County (0.4 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (25% of weeks), then Nov (25%) and Oct (24%). Least in May (4%). May to September averages 16%.

19 Jan
17 Feb
14 Mar
9 Apr
4 May
11 Jun
18 Jul
25 Aug
20 Sep
24 Oct
25 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2006

2006: 33 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 17.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6.9% at D2, 2% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 41 weeks, Jun 28, 2005 to Apr 4, 2006.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 8 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.