Drought in Winnebago County, IL: 3.5 years in 10 since 2000

3.5 years in 10

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

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (35 wk), 2005 (29 wk), 2006 (13 wk), 2012 (27 wk), 2021 (35 wk), 2022 (16 wk), 2023 (17 wk), 2024 (16 wk) and 2025 (33 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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

Drought has been more common in 2016-2025 (5 years in 10) than in 2000-2015 (2.5 in 10).

Against the rest of IL

6th most drought-prone of 102 IL counties; the IL middle is 2.3 in 10. Closest on the list: Ogle County (3.5 in 10) and Warren County (3.5 in 10). Driest in IL: Hancock County (3.8 in 10). Least drought: Edwards County (0.4 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Oct (23% of weeks), then Nov (23%) and Feb (22%). Least in May (7%). May to September averages 15%.

22 Jan
22 Feb
16 Mar
10 Apr
7 May
16 Jun
16 Jul
19 Aug
20 Sep
23 Oct
23 Nov
21 Dec

The worst year: 2003

2003: 35 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 17.8% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 5.9% at D2, 2.5% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 51 weeks, May 4, 2021 to Apr 19, 2022.

Lately

Last drought year: 2025, 33 weeks. 2016-2025: 5 in 10, against 2.5 in 10 for 2000-2015, drier lately. So far in 2026: 5 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.