Drought in Moore County, NC: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Moore County, NC: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (27 wk), 2002 (45 wk), 2006 (17 wk), 2007 (29 wk), 2008 (34 wk), 2011 (38 wk), 2012 (19 wk), 2013 (17 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020.

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 Mar, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of NC

28th most drought-prone of 100 NC counties; the NC middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Rowan County (3.5 in 10) and Lee County (3.5 in 10). Driest in NC: Cleveland County (5 in 10). Least drought: Gates County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (32% of weeks), then Feb (31%) and Apr (30%). Least in Aug (18%). May to September averages 22%.

26 Jan
31 Feb
32 Mar
30 Apr
28 May
23 Jun
19 Jul
18 Aug
21 Sep
22 Oct
23 Nov
29 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 45 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 25% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.6% at D2, 4% at D3, 31 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 56 weeks, Jul 31, 2007 to Aug 19, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.