Drought in Mobile County, AL: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (42 wk), 2006 (22 wk), 2007 (17 wk), 2010 (15 wk), 2011 (43 wk) and 2023 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2017, 2019 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 Nov, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of AL

65th most drought-prone of 67 AL counties; the AL middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Marshall County (2.3 in 10) and Blount County (2.3 in 10). Driest in AL: Chambers County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Morgan County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Nov (34% of weeks), then Oct (27%) and May (26%). Least in Jul (14%). May to September averages 19%.

14 Jan
17 Feb
19 Mar
22 Apr
26 May
20 Jun
14 Jul
14 Aug
19 Sep
27 Oct
34 Nov
21 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 43 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.4% at D2, 3.8% at D3, 19 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 50 weeks, Sep 21, 2010 to Aug 30, 2011.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 26 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.