Drought in Plymouth County, IA: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Plymouth County, IA: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (46 wk), 2012 (43 wk), 2013 (21 wk), 2020 (25 wk), 2021 (43 wk), 2022 (37 wk), 2023 (43 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (25 wk). Not a single drought week in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

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

This is one step drier than the yearly count alone suggests, because 28% of growing-season weeks here were in drought.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of IA

59th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Louisa County (3.8 in 10) and Ida County (3.5 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (36% of weeks), then Jul (29%) and May (28%). Least in Jun (21%). May to September averages 28%.

26 Jan
24 Feb
27 Mar
25 Apr
28 May
21 Jun
29 Jul
36 Aug
25 Sep
28 Oct
22 Nov
22 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 26.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 13.4% at D2, 4.5% at D3, 27 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 80 weeks, Apr 19, 2022 to Oct 24, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 25 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 17 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.