Drought in Menominee County, MI: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Menominee County, MI: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2005 (14 wk), 2007 (30 wk), 2008 (21 wk), 2009 (34 wk), 2010 (19 wk) and 2024 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 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 Sep, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of MI

10th most drought-prone of 83 MI counties; the MI middle is 1.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Dickinson County (2.3 in 10) and Iron County (2.3 in 10). Driest in MI: Gogebic County (3.5 in 10). Least drought: Newaygo County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (22% of weeks), then Oct (19%) and Nov (19%). Least in May (5%). May to September averages 13%.

14 Jan
11 Feb
12 Mar
5 Apr
5 May
8 Jun
11 Jul
18 Aug
22 Sep
19 Oct
19 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2009

2009: 34 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 13.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.4% at D2, 0.3% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 36 weeks, Sep 2, 2008 to May 5, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 14 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.