Drought in Webster County, NE: 5.4 years in 10 since 2000

5.4 years in 10

Webster County, NE: 14 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. More drought-prone than most US counties.

20002025

Drought years: 2000 (41 wk), 2002 (34 wk), 2003 (48 wk), 2004 (39 wk), 2005 (19 wk), 2006 (27 wk), 2012 (29 wk), 2013 (53 wk), 2014 (22 wk), 2020 (17 wk), 2022 (38 wk), 2023 (52 wk), 2024 (22 wk) and 2025 (22 wk). Not a single drought week in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2019.

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

Against the rest of NE

30th most drought-prone of 93 NE counties; the NE middle is 5 in 10. Closest on the list: Sherman County (5.4 in 10) and Holt County (5.4 in 10). Driest in NE: Banner County (6.5 in 10). Least drought: Cuming County (2.7 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Apr (43% of weeks), then Mar (39%) and Feb (39%). Least in Jul (30%). May to September averages 34%.

38 Jan
39 Feb
39 Mar
43 Apr
35 May
30 Jun
30 Jul
37 Aug
36 Sep
38 Oct
34 Nov
36 Dec

The worst year: 2013

2013: 53 weeks in drought, peaking at D3 extreme. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 36.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 14.1% at D2, 4.6% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 104 weeks, Jun 12, 2012 to Jun 3, 2014.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 22 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 5.6 in 10 for 2000-2015, about the same. So far in 2026: 14 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.