Drought in Ness County, KS: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (42 wk), 2003 (36 wk), 2004 (24 wk), 2006 (26 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (42 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (35 wk), 2017 (15 wk), 2018 (25 wk), 2022 (52 wk), 2023 (52 wk) and 2024 (23 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2019.

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

Against the rest of KS

32nd most drought-prone of 105 KS counties; the KS middle is 4.2 in 10. Closest on the list: Ford County (5 in 10) and Pawnee County (5 in 10). Driest in KS: Morton County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Dickinson County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in May (47% of weeks), then Apr (46%) and Jun (44%). Least in Sep (28%). May to September averages 39%.

41 Jan
40 Feb
40 Mar
46 Apr
47 May
44 Jun
39 Jul
37 Aug
28 Sep
29 Oct
30 Nov
36 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 38.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 22.3% at D2, 8.6% at D3, 73 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 118 weeks, Jun 5, 2012 to Sep 2, 2014.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 23 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 13 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.