Drought in Hinsdale County, CO: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Hinsdale County, CO: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (48 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2006 (22 wk), 2012 (31 wk), 2013 (38 wk), 2015 (16 wk), 2018 (52 wk), 2019 (24 wk), 2020 (52 wk), 2021 (43 wk), 2022 (30 wk) and 2025 (28 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2016.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (3.8 in 10).

Against the rest of CO

47th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Boulder County (5 in 10) and Washington County (4.6 in 10). Driest in CO: Otero County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Grand County (3.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jun (45% of weeks), then Jul (44%) and May (40%). Least in Nov (30%). May to September averages 39%.

35 Jan
39 Feb
36 Mar
40 Apr
40 May
45 Jun
44 Jul
33 Aug
31 Sep
30 Oct
30 Nov
33 Dec

The worst year: 2018

2018: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 36.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 24.9% at D2, 12.4% at D3, 90 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 108 weeks, Feb 5, 2002 to Feb 24, 2004.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 28 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 40 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.