Drought in Meade County, KS: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Meade County, KS: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (31 wk), 2003 (25 wk), 2004 (19 wk), 2006 (43 wk), 2008 (14 wk), 2011 (41 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (20 wk), 2017 (19 wk), 2018 (25 wk), 2022 (52 wk) and 2023 (27 wk). Not a single drought week in 2005, 2007 and 2010.

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

Against the rest of KS

29th most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Lane County (5.4 in 10) and Graham County (5.4 in 10). Driest in KS: Morton County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Dickinson County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (57% of weeks), then Mar (54%) and May (50%). Least in Sep (30%). May to September averages 38%.

38 Jan
39 Feb
54 Mar
57 Apr
50 May
45 Jun
36 Jul
30 Aug
30 Sep
35 Oct
36 Nov
42 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 41% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 26.1% at D2, 15.1% at D3, 122 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 218 weeks, Mar 22, 2011 to May 19, 2015.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 27 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 34 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.