Drought in Stephens County, TX: 5 years in 10 since 2000

5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (34 wk), 2006 (47 wk), 2007 (13 wk), 2008 (13 wk), 2009 (33 wk), 2011 (52 wk), 2012 (39 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (52 wk), 2015 (24 wk), 2019 (14 wk), 2022 (52 wk) and 2023 (38 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2004 and 2016.

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.

Against the rest of TX

175th most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Nolan County (5 in 10) and Willacy County (5 in 10). Driest in TX: Uvalde County (7.7 in 10). Least drought: Jasper County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Aug (50% of weeks), then Feb (47%) and Mar (45%). Least in Jun (28%). May to September averages 38%.

41 Jan
47 Feb
45 Mar
34 Apr
37 May
28 Jun
35 Jul
50 Aug
41 Sep
43 Oct
34 Nov
35 Dec

The worst year: 2011

2011: 52 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 39% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 22.6% at D2, 10.5% at D3, 88 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 161 weeks, May 1, 2012 to May 26, 2015.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 38 weeks. 2016-2025: 3 in 10, against 6.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 17 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.