Drought in Monroe County, WI: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (20 wk), 2008 (15 wk), 2009 (21 wk), 2012 (25 wk), 2013 (34 wk) and 2023 (29 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2025.

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 WI

44th most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Richland County (2.3 in 10) and Jackson County (2.3 in 10). Driest in WI: Barron County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Fond du Lac County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (22% of weeks), then Dec (20%) and Nov (18%). Least in Jun (6%). May to September averages 11%.

16 Jan
15 Feb
16 Mar
10 Apr
7 May
6 Jun
13 Jul
13 Aug
16 Sep
22 Oct
18 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 34 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 14.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 4.5% at D2, 0.2% at D3, 3 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 40 weeks, Jul 10, 2012 to Apr 9, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 29 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.