Drought in Mercer County, IL: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Mercer County, IL: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2003 (28 wk), 2005 (28 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2012 (25 wk), 2013 (24 wk) and 2023 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016 and 2021.

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.

Against the rest of IL

28th most drought-prone of 102 IL counties; the IL middle is 2.3 in 10. Closest on the list: Whiteside County (2.7 in 10) and Rock Island County (2.7 in 10). Driest in IL: Hancock County (3.8 in 10). Least drought: Edwards County (0.4 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (27% of weeks), then Sep (26%) and Nov (21%). Least in May (5%). May to September averages 13%.

18 Jan
17 Feb
18 Mar
10 Apr
5 May
6 Jun
10 Jul
17 Aug
26 Sep
27 Oct
21 Nov
19 Dec

The worst year: 2005

2005: 28 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 16.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6.2% at D2, 2% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 43 weeks, Jun 21, 2005 to Apr 11, 2006.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 6 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.