Drought in Mississippi County, AR: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (31 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2005 (21 wk), 2007 (14 wk), 2010 (18 wk), 2012 (28 wk) and 2022 (18 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2023.

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 AR

71st most drought-prone of 75 AR counties; the AR middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Van Buren County (2.7 in 10) and Franklin County (2.7 in 10). Driest in AR: Lee County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Clay County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (30% of weeks), then Aug (29%) and Nov (25%). Least in Mar (6%). May to September averages 21%.

18 Jan
15 Feb
6 Mar
6 Apr
11 May
15 Jun
18 Jul
29 Aug
30 Sep
24 Oct
25 Nov
18 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 31 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 17.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.7% at D2, 3.4% at D3, 11 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 31 weeks, Jul 25, 2000 to Feb 20, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 18 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 38 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.