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

4.6 years in 10

Jefferson 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 (32 wk), 2004 (18 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2010 (14 wk), 2011 (20 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2013 (31 wk), 2017 (19 wk), 2020 (26 wk), 2021 (28 wk) and 2024 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2014 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 CO

53rd most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Weld County (4.6 in 10) and Routt County (4.2 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 Mar (35% of weeks), then Dec (30%) and Feb (30%). Least in May (19%). May to September averages 25%.

28 Jan
30 Feb
35 Mar
30 Apr
19 May
24 Jun
30 Jul
29 Aug
22 Sep
28 Oct
29 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 48 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 27.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 14% at D2, 5.9% at D3, 22 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 72 weeks, Feb 5, 2002 to Jun 17, 2003.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.