Drought in Thurston County, WA: 3.1 years in 10 since 2000

3.1 years in 10

Thurston County, WA: 8 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2001 (40 wk), 2015 (21 wk), 2018 (18 wk), 2019 (22 wk), 2021 (13 wk), 2022 (13 wk), 2023 (23 wk) and 2025 (26 wk). Not a single drought week in 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020 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 Sep, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (6 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (1.3 in 10).

Against the rest of WA

21st most drought-prone of 39 WA counties; the WA middle is 3.5 in 10. Closest on the list: Stevens County (3.5 in 10) and Skamania County (2.7 in 10). Driest in WA: Grant County (5 in 10). Least drought: Jefferson County (1.5 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Sep (32% of weeks), then Aug (29%) and Oct (28%). Least in Jan (3%). May to September averages 22%.

3 Jan
6 Feb
8 Mar
3 Apr
8 May
12 Jun
27 Jul
29 Aug
32 Sep
28 Oct
15 Nov
8 Dec

The worst year: 2001

2001: 40 weeks in drought, peaking at D1 moderate. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 14.9% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.1% at D2, 0.4% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 40 weeks, Feb 13, 2001 to Nov 13, 2001.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 26 weeks. 2016-2025: 6 in 10, against 1.3 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 0 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.