Drought in Sumter County, FL: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

Sumter County, FL: 9 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (44 wk), 2001 (36 wk), 2007 (30 wk), 2009 (19 wk), 2011 (13 wk), 2012 (21 wk), 2013 (15 wk), 2023 (13 wk) and 2025 (25 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.

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

Against the rest of FL

24th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Brevard County (3.5 in 10) and Citrus County (3.5 in 10). Driest in FL: Leon County (4.2 in 10). Least drought: Monroe County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (40% of weeks), then May (39%) and Apr (37%). Least in Oct (5%). May to September averages 17%.

26 Jan
28 Feb
40 Mar
37 Apr
39 May
17 Jun
14 Jul
9 Aug
5 Sep
5 Oct
8 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 44 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 20.4% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10% at D2, 4.4% at D3, 22 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 75 weeks, Feb 29, 2000 to Jul 31, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 25 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 31 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.