Drought in Mason County, TX: 7.3 years in 10 since 2000

7.3 years in 10

Mason County, TX: 19 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (40 wk), 2005 (14 wk), 2006 (49 wk), 2007 (13 wk), 2008 (43 wk), 2009 (26 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (46 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (31 wk), 2018 (29 wk), 2019 (14 wk), 2020 (19 wk), 2021 (23 wk), 2022 (52 wk), 2023 (51 wk), 2024 (18 wk) and 2025 (29 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004.

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

Against the rest of TX

15th most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Llano County (7.3 in 10) and Andrews County (7.3 in 10). Driest in TX: Uvalde County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Jasper County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (58% of weeks), then Jan (57%) and Feb (56%). Least in Sep (40%). May to September averages 42%.

57 Jan
56 Feb
58 Mar
54 Apr
46 May
40 Jun
40 Jul
46 Aug
40 Sep
44 Oct
55 Nov
55 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 49.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 29.2% at D2, 12.5% at D3, 73 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 153 weeks, Jun 26, 2012 to May 26, 2015.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 29 weeks. 2016-2025: 8 in 10, against 6.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 1 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.