Drought in Kit Carson County, CO: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Kit Carson County, CO: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (40 wk), 2003 (44 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2005 (25 wk), 2006 (25 wk), 2011 (20 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2013 (39 wk), 2014 (22 wk), 2020 (38 wk), 2021 (28 wk) and 2022 (52 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2019 and 2025.

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 Apr peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of CO

49th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Washington County (4.6 in 10) and Elbert County (4.6 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 Apr (44% of weeks), then May (41%) and Jan (38%). Least in Oct (25%). May to September averages 33%.

38 Jan
34 Feb
35 Mar
44 Apr
41 May
32 Jun
32 Jul
32 Aug
27 Sep
25 Oct
37 Nov
36 Dec

The worst year: 2004

2004: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 34.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 18.6% at D2, 7.9% at D3, 46 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 100 weeks, Jul 29, 2003 to Jun 21, 2005.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 52 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 9 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.