Drought in Victoria County, TX: 5.8 years in 10 since 2000

5.8 years in 10

Victoria County, TX: 15 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (36 wk), 2006 (25 wk), 2008 (33 wk), 2009 (46 wk), 2011 (41 wk), 2012 (30 wk), 2013 (39 wk), 2014 (43 wk), 2018 (18 wk), 2019 (16 wk), 2020 (31 wk), 2022 (30 wk), 2023 (25 wk), 2024 (13 wk) and 2025 (24 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010 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 May peak, and check your water utility for a turf-removal rebate before you dig.

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (7 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (5 in 10).

Against the rest of TX

123rd most drought-prone of 254 TX counties; the TX middle is 5.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Erath County (5.8 in 10) and Refugio County (5.8 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 May (46% of weeks), then Mar (45%) and Apr (43%). Least in Jul (28%). May to September averages 36%.

37 Jan
37 Feb
45 Mar
43 Apr
46 May
40 Jun
28 Jul
33 Aug
33 Sep
36 Oct
31 Nov
38 Dec

The worst year: 2009

2009: 46 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 37.3% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 21.3% at D2, 10.1% at D3, 81 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 79 weeks, May 20, 2008 to Nov 17, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 24 weeks. 2016-2025: 7 in 10, against 5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 32 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.