Drought in Natrona County, WY: 5.8 years in 10 since 2000

5.8 years in 10

Natrona County, WY: 15 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (27 wk), 2002 (53 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (52 wk), 2005 (52 wk), 2006 (52 wk), 2007 (52 wk), 2008 (21 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (40 wk), 2020 (30 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (22 wk), 2024 (16 wk) and 2025 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 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.

Against the rest of WY

12th most drought-prone of 23 WY counties; the WY middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Platte County (5.8 in 10) and Teton County (5.8 in 10). Driest in WY: Sweetwater County (7.3 in 10). Least drought: Laramie County (5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (46% of weeks), then Apr (46%) and Sep (46%). Least in May (39%). May to September averages 43%.

41 Jan
42 Feb
45 Mar
46 Apr
39 May
40 Jun
45 Jul
44 Aug
46 Sep
46 Oct
43 Nov
42 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 43.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 29.3% at D2, 15.1% at D3, 21 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 361 weeks, Jun 26, 2001 to May 20, 2008.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 38 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.