Drought in Panola County, MS: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Panola County, MS: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (36 wk), 2005 (19 wk), 2007 (24 wk), 2012 (19 wk), 2016 (21 wk), 2022 (19 wk), 2023 (20 wk), 2024 (39 wk) and 2025 (20 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (2.5 in 10).

Against the rest of MS

9th most drought-prone of 82 MS counties; the MS middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Tunica County (3.5 in 10) and Sunflower County (3.5 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 Sep (34% of weeks), then Nov (33%) and Aug (33%). Least in May (8%). May to September averages 21%.

20 Jan
17 Feb
14 Mar
12 Apr
8 May
12 Jun
19 Jul
33 Aug
34 Sep
33 Oct
33 Nov
24 Dec

The worst year: 2024

2024: 39 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 21.5% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.1% at D2, 2.4% at D3, 24 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 42 weeks, Aug 19, 2025 to Jun 2, 2026.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 20 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 34 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.