Drought in Sioux County, IA: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

Sioux County, IA: 10 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (32 wk), 2011 (19 wk), 2012 (46 wk), 2013 (21 wk), 2020 (24 wk), 2021 (34 wk), 2022 (28 wk), 2023 (39 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

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 Aug peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (2.5 in 10).

Against the rest of IA

44th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Humboldt County (3.8 in 10) and O'Brien County (3.8 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (31% of weeks), then Mar (27%) and May (27%). Least in Dec (19%). May to September averages 25%.

23 Jan
24 Feb
27 Mar
26 Apr
27 May
19 Jun
26 Jul
31 Aug
20 Sep
23 Oct
20 Nov
19 Dec

The worst year: 2012

2012: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 23.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 12.6% at D2, 4.8% at D3, 27 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 60 weeks, Jun 21, 2022 to Aug 8, 2023.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 22 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.