Drought in Indian River County, FL: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (32 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2007 (28 wk), 2009 (18 wk), 2010 (16 wk), 2011 (36 wk), 2012 (13 wk) and 2017 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016 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 May, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of FL

45th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Gulf County (3.1 in 10) and Orange County (3.1 in 10). Driest in FL: Leon County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Monroe County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in May (39% of weeks), then Apr (35%) and Mar (30%). Least in Oct (6%). May to September averages 18%.

19 Jan
23 Feb
30 Mar
35 Apr
39 May
22 Jun
15 Jul
8 Aug
6 Sep
6 Oct
16 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 36 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.1% at D2, 4.9% at D3, 17 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 52 weeks, Sep 14, 2010 to Sep 6, 2011.

Lately

Last drought year: 2017, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 23 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.