Drought in Minnehaha County, SD: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Minnehaha County, SD: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (22 wk), 2012 (43 wk), 2013 (24 wk), 2020 (22 wk), 2021 (35 wk), 2023 (31 wk), 2024 (26 wk) and 2025 (25 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

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 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of SD

52nd most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Bon Homme County (3.1 in 10) and Jerauld County (3.1 in 10). Driest in SD: Jackson County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Clark County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (28% of weeks), then Nov (27%) and Feb (27%). Least in Jun (12%). May to September averages 19%.

26 Jan
27 Feb
24 Mar
21 Apr
18 May
12 Jun
18 Jul
24 Aug
22 Sep
28 Oct
27 Nov
25 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 43 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 11.3% at D2, 3.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 57 weeks, Aug 4, 2020 to Aug 31, 2021.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 25 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 43 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.