Drought in Mono County, CA: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Mono County, CA: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (33 wk), 2002 (33 wk), 2003 (40 wk), 2004 (36 wk), 2007 (49 wk), 2008 (22 wk), 2012 (52 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (52 wk), 2016 (52 wk), 2020 (40 wk), 2021 (52 wk) and 2022 (52 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2019, 2024 and 2025.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Jul peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of CA

12th most drought-prone of 58 CA counties; the CA middle is 4.6 in 10. Closest on the list: Ventura County (5.4 in 10) and Alpine County (5.4 in 10). Driest in CA: Imperial County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Del Norte County (3.1 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jul (53% of weeks), then Aug (50%) and Sep (50%). Least in Mar (35%). May to September averages 49%.

38 Jan
36 Feb
35 Mar
41 Apr
43 May
49 Jun
53 Jul
50 Aug
50 Sep
49 Oct
47 Nov
46 Dec

The worst year: 2014

2014: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 45% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 29.3% at D2, 13.4% at D3, 196 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 264 weeks, Jan 3, 2012 to Jan 17, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 52 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.