Drought in Oktibbeha County, MS: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Oktibbeha County, MS: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (34 wk), 2007 (32 wk), 2016 (26 wk), 2017 (20 wk), 2023 (13 wk) and 2024 (28 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

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 MS

54th most drought-prone of 82 MS counties; the MS middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Perry County (2.3 in 10) and Montgomery County (2.3 in 10). Driest in MS: Tallahatchie County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Benton County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (29% of weeks), then Jan (23%) and Nov (22%). Least in Jun (4%). May to September averages 14%.

23 Jan
11 Feb
11 Mar
7 Apr
8 May
4 Jun
17 Jul
22 Aug
21 Sep
29 Oct
22 Nov
17 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 34 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 15.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 7.4% at D2, 2.6% at D3, 6 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 39 weeks, Jul 5, 2016 to Mar 28, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 28 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 19 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.