Drought in Lauderdale County, AL: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (42 wk), 2007 (42 wk), 2008 (26 wk), 2016 (18 wk), 2017 (13 wk), 2022 (16 wk), 2023 (15 wk) and 2024 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2020 and 2021.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of AL

46th most drought-prone of 67 AL counties; the AL middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Jefferson County (3.1 in 10) and Choctaw County (3.1 in 10). Driest in AL: Chambers County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Morgan County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Nov (24% of weeks), then Jan (23%) and Jul (23%). Least in Jun (13%). May to September averages 17%.

23 Jan
20 Feb
21 Mar
15 Apr
13 May
13 Jun
23 Jul
20 Aug
16 Sep
23 Oct
24 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 42 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.4% at D2, 4% at D3, 22 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 61 weeks, Mar 13, 2007 to May 6, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 28 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.