Drought in Sharp County, AR: 4.2 years in 10 since 2000

4.2 years in 10

Sharp County, AR: 11 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (21 wk), 2001 (15 wk), 2005 (26 wk), 2006 (15 wk), 2010 (17 wk), 2011 (16 wk), 2012 (31 wk), 2014 (14 wk), 2017 (25 wk), 2022 (17 wk) and 2025 (20 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023.

Plan for drought as normal: shrink the lawn, go drip and natives

Drought is the normal state of things here. Most of the yard goes to natives and gravel on drip; any grass that stays is a small, tough patch.

If you are replacing turf, plant natives in fall so roots set before the Oct peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Against the rest of AR

5th most drought-prone of 75 AR counties; the AR middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Arkansas County (4.2 in 10) and Ashley County (3.8 in 10). Driest in AR: Lee County (4.6 in 10). Least drought: Clay County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (33% of weeks), then Nov (32%) and Dec (28%). Least in Mar (12%). May to September averages 19%.

23 Jan
17 Feb
12 Mar
16 Apr
16 May
16 Jun
18 Jul
21 Aug
25 Sep
33 Oct
32 Nov
28 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 31 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 21.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.1% at D2, 3.3% at D3, 28 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 64 weeks, Aug 19, 2025 to Nov 3, 2026.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 20 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 44 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.