Drought in Johnston County, NC: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Johnston County, NC: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (18 wk), 2002 (41 wk), 2007 (28 wk), 2008 (30 wk), 2011 (26 wk), 2012 (20 wk) and 2025 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023.

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

Against the rest of NC

75th most drought-prone of 100 NC counties; the NC middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Greene County (2.7 in 10) and Jones County (2.7 in 10). Driest in NC: Cleveland County (5 in 10). Least drought: Gates County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jul (23% of weeks), then Feb (23%) and Mar (22%). Least in Nov (13%). May to September averages 18%.

19 Jan
23 Feb
22 Mar
19 Apr
13 May
20 Jun
23 Jul
19 Aug
17 Sep
14 Oct
13 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 18.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.4% at D2, 3% at D3, 20 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 51 weeks, Nov 18, 2025 to Nov 3, 2026.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.