Drought in Petersburg Borough, AK: 0.8 years in 10 since 2000

0.8 years in 10

Petersburg Borough, AK: 2 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. Less drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2018 (31 wk) and 2019 (46 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

A regular lawn is fine here; plan for the odd dry year

Real droughts are rare here. A smart controller that skips watering after rain covers the odd dry year.

You can keep a regular lawn. Worth doing: a rain-sensing or smart controller, and deeper, less frequent watering if Aug turns dry.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (2 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (0 in 10).

Against the rest of AK

4th most drought-prone of 30 AK counties; the AK middle is 0 in 10. Closest on the list: Wrangell City and Borough (0.8 in 10) and Southeast Fairbanks Census Area (0.8 in 10). Driest in AK: Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area (0.8 in 10). Least drought: Northwest Arctic Borough (0 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (10% of weeks), then Jul (10%) and Oct (8%). Least in Dec (4%). May to September averages 7%.

4 Jan
4 Feb
7 Mar
7 Apr
4 May
4 Jun
10 Jul
10 Aug
7 Sep
8 Oct
5 Nov
4 Dec

The worst year: 2019

2019: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 6.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 0.7% at D2, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 70 weeks, Jul 17, 2018 to Nov 12, 2019.

Lately

Last drought year: 2019, 46 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 0 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.