Drought in Hidalgo County, TX: 5.8 years in 10 since 2000

5.8 years in 10

Hidalgo County, TX: 15 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (47 wk), 2001 (48 wk), 2002 (41 wk), 2005 (38 wk), 2006 (37 wk), 2008 (29 wk), 2009 (30 wk), 2011 (47 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (16 wk), 2020 (25 wk), 2021 (19 wk), 2023 (22 wk) and 2025 (18 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004, 2007 and 2015.

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

Against the rest of TX

97th most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Mitchell County (5.8 in 10) and Live Oak County (5.8 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 Mar (56% of weeks), then Apr (54%) and Aug (46%). Least in Dec (32%). May to September averages 44%.

39 Jan
43 Feb
56 Mar
54 Apr
46 May
44 Jun
43 Jul
46 Aug
40 Sep
36 Oct
33 Nov
32 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 42.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 24.7% at D2, 13.1% at D3, 128 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 150 weeks, Feb 22, 2011 to Dec 31, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 18 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 6.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 35 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.