Drought in Lee County, IA: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Lee County, IA: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (25 wk), 2003 (22 wk), 2005 (27 wk), 2006 (41 wk), 2011 (14 wk), 2012 (26 wk), 2013 (29 wk), 2018 (21 wk) and 2023 (20 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019, 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 Oct, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of IA

63rd most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Lyon County (3.5 in 10) and Des Moines County (3.5 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (29% of weeks), then Dec (26%) and Nov (26%). Least in May (6%). May to September averages 18%.

24 Jan
23 Feb
15 Mar
9 Apr
6 May
16 Jun
21 Jul
25 Aug
24 Sep
29 Oct
26 Nov
26 Dec

The worst year: 2006

2006: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 7.5% at D2, 1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 41 weeks, Jun 28, 2005 to Apr 4, 2006.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 20 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 7 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.