Drought in Pickens County, SC: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

Pickens County, SC: 11 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (46 wk), 2001 (44 wk), 2002 (43 wk), 2006 (22 wk), 2007 (37 wk), 2008 (53 wk), 2009 (14 wk), 2011 (18 wk), 2012 (22 wk), 2016 (30 wk) and 2017 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2021.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Jul peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of SC

17th most drought-prone of 46 SC counties; the SC middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Edgefield County (4.2 in 10) and Barnwell County (4.2 in 10). Driest in SC: Abbeville County (5.8 in 10). Least drought: Charleston County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jul (38% of weeks), then May (34%) and Dec (32%). Least in Feb (23%). May to September averages 33%.

30 Jan
23 Feb
25 Mar
30 Apr
34 May
31 Jun
38 Jul
30 Aug
31 Sep
32 Oct
31 Nov
32 Dec

The worst year: 2008

2008: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 30.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 18.5% at D2, 9.6% at D3, 57 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 103 weeks, Apr 24, 2007 to Apr 7, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2017, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 39 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.