Drought in Polk County, FL: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (44 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2006 (13 wk), 2007 (46 wk), 2008 (20 wk), 2009 (20 wk), 2011 (13 wk), 2012 (21 wk), 2017 (14 wk) and 2023 (13 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.

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

Against the rest of FL

7th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Walton County (3.8 in 10) and Collier County (3.8 in 10). Driest in FL: Leon County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Monroe County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (40% of weeks), then Apr (38%) and May (38%). Least in Aug (9%). May to September averages 18%.

26 Jan
31 Feb
40 Mar
38 Apr
38 May
17 Jun
15 Jul
9 Aug
11 Sep
12 Oct
13 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2007

2007: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.7% at D2, 3.6% at D3, 27 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 75 weeks, Feb 29, 2000 to Jul 31, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 13 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 43 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.