Drought in Marshall County, SD: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Marshall County, SD: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2012 (18 wk), 2013 (20 wk), 2020 (19 wk), 2021 (29 wk), 2022 (14 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2019.

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 Feb, 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 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of SD

65th most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Day County (2.7 in 10) and Clark County (2.3 in 10). Driest in SD: Jackson County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Clark County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Feb (22% of weeks), then Mar (22%) and Oct (18%). Least in May (9%). May to September averages 13%.

15 Jan
22 Feb
22 Mar
18 Apr
9 May
12 Jun
13 Jul
14 Aug
14 Sep
18 Oct
15 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 29 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 15.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 1.8% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 34 weeks, Oct 8, 2024 to May 27, 2025.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 5 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.