Drought in Saint Johns County, FL: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Saint Johns 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 (41 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2007 (35 wk), 2010 (13 wk), 2011 (40 wk) and 2012 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 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 May, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of FL

57th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Putnam County (2.7 in 10) and Lake 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 May (32% of weeks), then Mar (29%) and Apr (28%). Least in Sep (7%). May to September averages 20%.

24 Jan
25 Feb
29 Mar
28 Apr
32 May
25 Jun
19 Jul
18 Aug
7 Sep
8 Oct
9 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 41 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 11.4% at D2, 3.9% at D3, 7 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 53 weeks, Oct 5, 2010 to Oct 4, 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: 36 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.