Drought in Logan County, ND: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Logan County, ND: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (29 wk), 2004 (21 wk), 2012 (22 wk), 2013 (25 wk), 2016 (14 wk), 2017 (24 wk), 2020 (20 wk), 2021 (40 wk), 2022 (15 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2019.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (2.5 in 10).

Against the rest of ND

22nd most drought-prone of 53 ND counties; the ND middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Bottineau County (3.8 in 10) and Ward County (3.5 in 10). Driest in ND: Bowman County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Barnes County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (30% of weeks), then Jan (27%) and Feb (25%). Least in Jun (9%). May to September averages 16%.

27 Jan
25 Feb
24 Mar
21 Apr
13 May
9 Jun
13 Jul
20 Aug
23 Sep
18 Oct
21 Nov
30 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 40 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 7% at D2, 1.9% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 54 weeks, Sep 29, 2020 to Oct 5, 2021.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.