Drought in Sumter County, SC: 3.8 years in 10 since 2000

3.8 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (21 wk), 2001 (29 wk), 2002 (43 wk), 2007 (24 wk), 2008 (24 wk), 2011 (29 wk), 2012 (27 wk), 2015 (14 wk), 2021 (13 wk) and 2025 (14 wk). Not a single drought week in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2020.

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

Against the rest of SC

27th most drought-prone of 46 SC counties; the SC middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Lee County (3.8 in 10) and Fairfield County (3.5 in 10). Driest in SC: Abbeville County (5.8 in 10). Least drought: Charleston County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Feb (28% of weeks), then Apr (27%) and Jun (24%). Least in Aug (17%). May to September averages 21%.

23 Jan
28 Feb
23 Mar
27 Apr
22 May
24 Jun
23 Jul
17 Aug
21 Sep
23 Oct
23 Nov
19 Dec

The worst year: 2002

2002: 43 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 22.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 8.8% at D2, 3.3% at D3, 4 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 53 weeks, Oct 9, 2001 to Oct 8, 2002.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 14 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 39 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.