Drought in Sanborn County, SD: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Sanborn County, SD: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (16 wk), 2004 (17 wk), 2012 (28 wk), 2013 (21 wk), 2021 (45 wk), 2022 (27 wk), 2023 (41 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (19 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016 and 2019.

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.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (2.5 in 10).

Against the rest of SD

46th most drought-prone of 66 SD counties; the SD middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: McCook County (3.5 in 10) and Faulk County (3.5 in 10). Driest in SD: Jackson County (6.9 in 10). Least drought: Clark County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (30% of weeks), then Feb (26%) and Jul (25%). Least in Jun (15%). May to September averages 20%.

17 Jan
26 Feb
23 Mar
30 Apr
19 May
15 Jun
25 Jul
23 Aug
20 Sep
19 Oct
19 Nov
19 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 45 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 21.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 9.6% at D2, 2.8% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 57 weeks, Sep 13, 2022 to Oct 10, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 19 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 27 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.