Drought in Osceola County, FL: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Osceola County, FL: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (42 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2007 (23 wk), 2011 (31 wk), 2012 (20 wk) and 2017 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2022.

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 Apr, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of FL

59th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Lake County (2.7 in 10) and Seminole County (2.7 in 10). Driest in FL: Leon County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Monroe County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (42% of weeks), then May (38%) and Mar (36%). Least in Sep (4%). May to September averages 17%.

16 Jan
21 Feb
36 Mar
42 Apr
38 May
22 Jun
14 Jul
8 Aug
4 Sep
7 Oct
12 Nov
10 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 42 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8% at D2, 3.1% at D3, 27 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 73 weeks, Mar 14, 2000 to Jul 31, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2017, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 31 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.