Drought in Jackson County, CO: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Jackson County, CO: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (48 wk), 2003 (38 wk), 2004 (36 wk), 2012 (39 wk), 2013 (37 wk), 2018 (25 wk), 2020 (23 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2024 (14 wk) and 2025 (32 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 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 Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of CO

61st most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Park County (4.2 in 10) and Clear Creek County (3.8 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 Oct (42% of weeks), then Sep (39%) and Aug (35%). Least in Mar (22%). May to September averages 32%.

23 Jan
24 Feb
22 Mar
27 Apr
25 May
28 Jun
34 Jul
35 Aug
39 Sep
42 Oct
28 Nov
26 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 29.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 16% at D2, 4.6% at D3, 45 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 76 weeks, Apr 3, 2012 to Sep 10, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 32 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.