Drought in Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (22 wk), 2015 (20 wk), 2016 (36 wk), 2017 (16 wk), 2020 (17 wk) and 2025 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

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.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (4 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of CT

4th most drought-prone of 9 CT counties; the CT middle is 1.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region (2.3 in 10) and Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region (1.9 in 10). Driest in CT: Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region (2.7 in 10). Least drought: Western Connecticut Planning Region (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (16% of weeks), then Dec (16%) and Nov (15%). Least in Jun (10%). May to September averages 12%.

15 Jan
15 Feb
10 Mar
11 Apr
13 May
10 Jun
10 Jul
13 Aug
14 Sep
16 Oct
15 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2016

2016: 36 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 13% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 4.6% at D2, 1.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 44 weeks, Jun 21, 2016 to Apr 18, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 7 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.