Drought in Martinsville City, VA: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Martinsville City, VA: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (27 wk), 2002 (47 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2007 (19 wk), 2008 (32 wk) and 2025 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2020.

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

Against the rest of VA

23rd most drought-prone of 133 VA counties; the VA middle is 1.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Henry County (2.3 in 10) and Roanoke County (2.3 in 10). Driest in VA: Halifax County (3.1 in 10). Least drought: Covington City (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (29% of weeks), then Apr (24%) and Jan (23%). Least in Sep (14%). May to September averages 16%.

23 Jan
22 Feb
21 Mar
24 Apr
17 May
15 Jun
17 Jul
17 Aug
14 Sep
18 Oct
20 Nov
29 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 47 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.8% at D2, 2.5% at D3, 16 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 56 weeks, Oct 23, 2001 to Nov 12, 2002.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.