Drought in McDowell County, NC: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

McDowell County, NC: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (32 wk), 2001 (40 wk), 2002 (40 wk), 2006 (22 wk), 2007 (41 wk), 2008 (53 wk), 2009 (14 wk), 2016 (18 wk) and 2017 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2022.

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 NC

26th most drought-prone of 100 NC counties; the NC middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Graham County (3.5 in 10) and Rowan County (3.5 in 10). Driest in NC: Cleveland County (5 in 10). Least drought: Gates County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (31% of weeks), then Mar (29%) and Nov (28%). Least in May (22%). May to September averages 23%.

24 Jan
22 Feb
29 Mar
26 Apr
22 May
24 Jun
28 Jul
22 Aug
22 Sep
27 Oct
28 Nov
31 Dec

The worst year: 2008

2008: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 25.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 14.8% at D2, 7% at D3, 34 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 105 weeks, Apr 10, 2007 to Apr 7, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2017, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 29 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.