Drought in Snohomish County, WA: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Snohomish County, WA: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (42 wk), 2015 (21 wk), 2019 (19 wk), 2022 (13 wk), 2023 (28 wk) and 2025 (44 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020 and 2021.

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 Sep, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (4 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of WA

29th most drought-prone of 39 WA counties; the WA middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Clark County (2.3 in 10) and Cowlitz County (2.3 in 10). Driest in WA: Grant County (5 in 10). Least drought: Jefferson County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (34% of weeks), then Oct (28%) and Aug (24%). Least in Jan (4%). May to September averages 20%.

4 Jan
7 Feb
11 Mar
10 Apr
10 May
14 Jun
21 Jul
24 Aug
34 Sep
28 Oct
18 Nov
9 Dec

The worst year: 2025

2025: 44 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 15.7% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.8% at D2, 0.9% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 44 weeks, Feb 11, 2025 to Dec 9, 2025.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 44 weeks. 2016-2025: 4 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 12 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.