Drought in Taylor County, IA: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (42 wk), 2002 (14 wk), 2003 (42 wk), 2005 (13 wk), 2006 (26 wk), 2012 (24 wk), 2013 (35 wk), 2014 (22 wk) and 2024 (16 wk). Not a single drought week in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2025.

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

Against the rest of IA

66th most drought-prone of 99 IA counties; the IA middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Osceola County (3.5 in 10) and Benton County (3.5 in 10). Driest in IA: Wapello County (5.4 in 10). Least drought: Howard County (2.3 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Jan (29% of weeks), then Feb (28%) and Mar (25%). Least in May (9%). May to September averages 12%.

29 Jan
28 Feb
25 Mar
24 Apr
9 May
10 Jun
12 Jul
13 Aug
16 Sep
20 Oct
25 Nov
25 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 42 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.6% at D2, 1.4% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 41 weeks, Aug 27, 2013 to Jun 3, 2014.

Lately

Last drought year: 2024, 16 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 6 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.