Drought in Rockingham County, NC: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (27 wk), 2002 (49 wk), 2006 (17 wk), 2007 (24 wk), 2008 (33 wk), 2011 (16 wk) and 2025 (15 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2016 and 2020.

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

Against the rest of NC

67th most drought-prone of 100 NC counties; the NC middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Hoke County (2.7 in 10) and Brunswick County (2.7 in 10). Driest in NC: Cleveland County (5 in 10). Least drought: Gates County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Dec (28% of weeks), then Nov (26%) and Mar (24%). Least in Jun (16%). May to September averages 18%.

21 Jan
22 Feb
24 Mar
22 Apr
17 May
16 Jun
19 Jul
18 Aug
20 Sep
18 Oct
26 Nov
28 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 49 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.7% at D2, 5.7% at D3, 42 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 59 weeks, Oct 23, 2001 to Dec 3, 2002.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 15 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.