Drought in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT: 2.3 years in 10 since 2000

2.3 years in 10

Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT: 6 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2002 (25 wk), 2015 (33 wk), 2016 (27 wk), 2017 (15 wk), 2020 (14 wk) and 2022 (18 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2019 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 Nov, 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 CT

3rd most drought-prone of 9 CT counties; the CT middle is 1.9 in 10. Closest on the list: Capitol Planning Region (2.7 in 10) and Northwest Hills Planning Region (2.3 in 10). Driest in CT: Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region (2.7 in 10). Least drought: Western Connecticut Planning Region (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Nov (23% of weeks), then Oct (19%) and Sep (19%). Least in Apr (9%). May to September averages 15%.

14 Jan
12 Feb
12 Mar
9 Apr
13 May
13 Jun
13 Jul
16 Aug
19 Sep
19 Oct
23 Nov
18 Dec

The worst year: 2015

2015: 33 weeks in drought, peaking at D1 moderate. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 15.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.2% at D2, 0.1% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 37 weeks, Jul 19, 2016 to Mar 28, 2017.

Lately

Last drought year: 2022, 18 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.