Drought in Langlade County, WI: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Langlade County, WI: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2005 (13 wk), 2007 (33 wk), 2008 (26 wk), 2009 (38 wk), 2022 (13 wk), 2023 (28 wk), 2024 (28 wk) and 2025 (20 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2014, 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 Oct, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of WI

23rd most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Vilas County (3.1 in 10) and Chippewa County (3.1 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 Oct (32% of weeks), then Sep (27%) and Nov (24%). Least in Apr (8%). May to September averages 18%.

22 Jan
20 Feb
14 Mar
8 Apr
13 May
10 Jun
18 Jul
19 Aug
27 Sep
32 Oct
24 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2009

2009: 38 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.1% at D2, 0.3% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 40 weeks, May 15, 2007 to Feb 12, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 20 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 25 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.