Drought in Pierce County, WI: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Pierce County, WI: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (21 wk), 2004 (18 wk), 2008 (16 wk), 2009 (35 wk), 2012 (19 wk), 2013 (35 wk), 2014 (16 wk), 2022 (21 wk), 2023 (16 wk) and 2024 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2025.

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 Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of WI

14th most drought-prone of 72 WI counties; the WI middle is 2.7 in 10. Closest on the list: Taylor County (3.8 in 10) and Pepin County (3.8 in 10). Driest in WI: Barron County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Fond du Lac County (0.8 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (31% of weeks), then Sep (23%) and Nov (23%). Least in Jun (9%). May to September averages 15%.

18 Jan
17 Feb
22 Mar
20 Apr
9 May
9 Jun
15 Jul
18 Aug
23 Sep
31 Oct
23 Nov
22 Dec

The worst year: 2009

2009: 35 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 18.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.1% at D2, 1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 48 weeks, Sep 16, 2008 to Aug 11, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 16 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.