Drought in Prince George's County, MD: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Prince George's County, MD: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (46 wk), 2007 (20 wk), 2012 (19 wk), 2017 (15 wk), 2024 (14 wk) and 2025 (22 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Keep a lawn, but switch to drought-tolerant grass

Dry years come often enough to kill a thirsty lawn every few summers. Keep the lawn, reseed with a drought-tolerant mix, and put the beds on drip.

If you reseed, use a drought-tolerant mix and do it well clear of Jan, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of MD

4th most drought-prone of 24 MD counties; the MD middle is 1.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Montgomery County (2.3 in 10) and Dorchester County (2.3 in 10). Driest in MD: Wicomico County (3.1 in 10). Least drought: Garrett County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jan (23% of weeks), then Jul (23%) and Dec (21%). Least in Nov (10%). May to September averages 15%.

23 Jan
16 Feb
16 Mar
17 Apr
12 May
13 Jun
23 Jul
13 Aug
13 Sep
16 Oct
10 Nov
21 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 16.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6.4% at D2, 0.8% at D3, 2 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 52 weeks, Nov 20, 2001 to Nov 12, 2002.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 22 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 31 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.