Drought in Putnam County, FL: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Putnam County, FL: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (46 wk), 2001 (32 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2007 (27 wk), 2010 (15 wk), 2011 (32 wk) and 2012 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

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 Apr, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of FL

56th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Pasco County (2.7 in 10) and Saint Johns County (2.7 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 Apr (37% of weeks), then May (31%) and Mar (29%). Least in Oct (8%). May to September averages 19%.

24 Jan
24 Feb
29 Mar
37 Apr
31 May
23 Jun
19 Jul
15 Aug
10 Sep
8 Oct
11 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 12.9% at D2, 5.3% at D3, 12 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 47 weeks, Sep 21, 2010 to Aug 9, 2011.

Lately

Last drought year: 2012, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 0 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 40 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.