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

3.5 years in 10

Volusia 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 (40 wk), 2001 (31 wk), 2006 (14 wk), 2007 (35 wk), 2010 (13 wk), 2011 (27 wk), 2012 (23 wk), 2023 (14 wk) and 2025 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 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 Apr, the month drought is most common here. Put beds on drip before the next dry year.

Against the rest of FL

26th most drought-prone of 67 FL counties; the FL middle is 3.1 in 10. Closest on the list: Citrus County (3.5 in 10) and Hamilton County (3.1 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 Apr (40% of weeks), then Mar (38%) and May (38%). Least in Sep (3%). May to September averages 18%.

18 Jan
24 Feb
38 Mar
40 Apr
38 May
25 Jun
13 Jul
10 Aug
3 Sep
6 Oct
12 Nov
10 Dec

The worst year: 2000

2000: 40 weeks in drought, peaking at D4 exceptional. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 19.6% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 10.6% at D2, 4.4% at D3, 17 weeks with some of the county in D4. Longest unbroken spell: 44 weeks, Oct 31, 2006 to Aug 28, 2007.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 2 in 10, against 4.4 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 26 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.