Drought in Jefferson County, WI: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Jefferson County, WI: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (32 wk), 2005 (27 wk), 2012 (19 wk), 2021 (21 wk), 2022 (16 wk) and 2023 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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 Sep, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of WI

48th most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Iowa County (2.3 in 10) and Columbia County (2.3 in 10). Driest in WI: Barron County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Fond du Lac County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (17% of weeks), then Aug (17%) and Oct (17%). Least in May (4%). May to September averages 13%.

6 Jan
8 Feb
11 Mar
11 Apr
4 May
11 Jun
16 Jul
17 Aug
17 Sep
17 Oct
13 Nov
5 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 32 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 11.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.3% at D2, 0.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 25 weeks, Jul 12, 2005 to Dec 27, 2005.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 3 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.