Drought in Hot Springs County, WY: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Hot Springs County, WY: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (46 wk), 2002 (53 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2005 (40 wk), 2006 (24 wk), 2007 (52 wk), 2008 (21 wk), 2012 (27 wk), 2013 (40 wk), 2020 (29 wk), 2021 (49 wk), 2022 (22 wk) and 2024 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023.

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 WY

19th most drought-prone of 23 WY counties; the WY middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Carbon County (5.4 in 10) and Big Horn County (5.4 in 10). Driest in WY: Sweetwater County (7.3 in 10). Least drought: Laramie County (5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (48% of weeks), then Apr (45%) and Sep (44%). Least in Jun (37%). May to September averages 41%.

37 Jan
42 Feb
48 Mar
45 Apr
39 May
37 Jun
43 Jul
44 Aug
44 Sep
43 Oct
38 Nov
38 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 41.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 32.3% at D2, 12.5% at D3, 18 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 243 weeks, Feb 13, 2001 to Oct 4, 2005.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 39 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.