Drought in Jersey County, IL: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2005 (16 wk), 2007 (20 wk), 2012 (21 wk), 2013 (19 wk) and 2017 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

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

Against the rest of IL

48th most drought-prone of 102 IL counties; the IL middle is 2.3 in 10. Closest on the list: Woodford County (2.3 in 10) and Livingston County (2.3 in 10). Driest in IL: Hancock County (3.8 in 10). Least drought: Edwards County (0.4 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (22% of weeks), then Nov (19%) and Sep (18%). Least in Apr (3%). May to September averages 11%.

15 Jan
12 Feb
12 Mar
3 Apr
6 May
6 Jun
8 Jul
15 Aug
18 Sep
22 Oct
19 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 22 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 12.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 2.6% at D2, 0.4% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 21 weeks, Aug 14, 2007 to Jan 1, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2017, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 13 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.