Drought in Pitkin County, CO: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (47 wk), 2003 (52 wk), 2004 (41 wk), 2012 (42 wk), 2013 (37 wk), 2018 (52 wk), 2019 (20 wk), 2020 (35 wk), 2021 (52 wk), 2022 (16 wk) and 2025 (36 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2024.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (3.1 in 10).

Against the rest of CO

55th most drought-prone of 64 CO counties; the CO middle is 5.4 in 10. Closest on the list: Routt County (4.2 in 10) and Eagle County (4.2 in 10). Driest in CO: Otero County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Grand County (3.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jun (42% of weeks), then Jul (42%) and Aug (39%). Least in Feb (25%). May to September averages 39%.

25 Jan
25 Feb
27 Mar
31 Apr
38 May
42 Jun
42 Jul
39 Aug
36 Sep
37 Oct
35 Nov
35 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 34.2% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 22.5% at D2, 12.5% at D3, 73 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 99 weeks, Feb 12, 2002 to Dec 30, 2003.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 36 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 3.1 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.