Drought in McHenry County, ND: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2006 (26 wk), 2007 (31 wk), 2008 (35 wk), 2017 (31 wk), 2018 (47 wk), 2020 (18 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (21 wk) and 2023 (29 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2025.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of ND

24th most drought-prone of 53 ND counties; the ND middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Ward County (3.5 in 10) and Towner 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 Oct (33% of weeks), then Nov (27%) and Aug (26%). Least in Apr (14%). May to September averages 21%.

24 Jan
22 Feb
20 Mar
14 Apr
18 May
20 Jun
18 Jul
26 Aug
24 Sep
33 Oct
27 Nov
25 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.4% at D2, 2.4% at D3, 18 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 74 weeks, Sep 15, 2020 to Feb 8, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 29 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 5 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.