Drought in Levy County, FL: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (52 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2007 (27 wk), 2011 (27 wk), 2012 (24 wk), 2013 (15 wk) and 2023 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 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 May, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of FL

38th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Clay County (3.1 in 10) and Charlotte County (3.1 in 10). Driest in FL: Leon County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Monroe County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in May (36% of weeks), then Mar (35%) and Apr (34%). Least in Sep (3%). May to September averages 19%.

28 Jan
30 Feb
35 Mar
34 Apr
36 May
24 Jun
17 Jul
14 Aug
3 Sep
8 Oct
9 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 21.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.6% at D2, 5.6% at D3, 25 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 83 weeks, Jan 4, 2000 to Jul 31, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 34 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.