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

3.8 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (16 wk), 2006 (26 wk), 2007 (13 wk), 2012 (43 wk), 2013 (26 wk), 2015 (16 wk), 2021 (45 wk), 2023 (22 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 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 Mar peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of MN

41st most drought-prone of 87 MN counties; the MN middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: McLeod County (3.8 in 10) and Grant County (3.8 in 10). Driest in MN: Wadena County (5 in 10). Least drought: Pennington County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (28% of weeks), then Feb (27%) and Sep (25%). Least in Jun (9%). May to September averages 15%.

23 Jan
27 Feb
28 Mar
22 Apr
11 May
9 Jun
13 Jul
19 Aug
25 Sep
18 Oct
20 Nov
20 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 45 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.3% at D2, 1.1% at D3, 6 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 52 weeks, May 22, 2012 to May 14, 2013.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 9 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.