Drought in Sheridan County, ND: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Sheridan County, ND: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2006 (26 wk), 2007 (24 wk), 2008 (29 wk), 2017 (23 wk), 2018 (28 wk), 2020 (19 wk), 2021 (52 wk) and 2022 (21 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2025.

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 Oct, 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 (1.9 in 10).

Against the rest of ND

31st most drought-prone of 53 ND counties; the ND middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Rolette County (3.1 in 10) and Eddy County (3.1 in 10). Driest in ND: Bowman County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Barnes County (1.2 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (30% of weeks), then Nov (24%) and Jan (23%). Least in May (11%). May to September averages 15%.

23 Jan
22 Feb
19 Mar
13 Apr
11 May
13 Jun
13 Jul
19 Aug
22 Sep
30 Oct
24 Nov
22 Dec

The worst year: 2021

2021: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 6.6% at D2, 2.6% at D3, 18 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 74 weeks, Sep 15, 2020 to Feb 8, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 21 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 1.9 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 14 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.