Drought in Pembina County, ND: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2006 (26 wk), 2007 (14 wk), 2012 (41 wk), 2018 (19 wk), 2021 (47 wk), 2023 (28 wk) and 2024 (20 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016 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 Jan, 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 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of ND

37th most drought-prone of 53 ND counties; the ND middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Wells County (3.1 in 10) and Cavalier County (2.7 in 10). Driest in ND: Bowman County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Barnes County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jan (21% of weeks), then Oct (21%) and Dec (20%). Least in Jun (12%). May to September averages 15%.

21 Jan
19 Feb
17 Mar
17 Apr
13 May
12 Jun
14 Jul
17 Aug
20 Sep
21 Oct
18 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 47 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 17.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.6% at D2, 1.5% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 52 weeks, Dec 1, 2020 to Nov 23, 2021.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 20 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 2 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.