Drought in Morton County, ND: 4.6 years in 10 since 2000

4.6 years in 10

Morton County, ND: 12 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (31 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2005 (26 wk), 2006 (26 wk), 2007 (21 wk), 2008 (41 wk), 2017 (31 wk), 2018 (13 wk), 2020 (27 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (23 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023.

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 Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (3.8 in 10).

Against the rest of ND

13th most drought-prone of 53 ND counties; the ND middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Divide County (5 in 10) and Mercer County (4.6 in 10). Driest in ND: Bowman County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Barnes County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (36% of weeks), then Nov (34%) and Dec (34%). Least in Jul (18%). May to September averages 23%.

33 Jan
33 Feb
34 Mar
24 Apr
18 May
22 Jun
18 Jul
27 Aug
32 Sep
36 Oct
34 Nov
34 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 28.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6.1% at D2, 2.8% at D3, 13 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 87 weeks, Aug 18, 2020 to Apr 12, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 14 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.