Drought in Winona County, MN: 2.7 years in 10 since 2000

2.7 years in 10

Winona County, MN: 7 of 26 full years had 13+ weeks in drought. About as drought-prone as a typical US county.

20002025

Drought years: 2003 (22 wk), 2004 (18 wk), 2008 (16 wk), 2009 (36 wk), 2012 (22 wk), 2013 (26 wk) and 2023 (17 wk). Not a single drought week in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

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

Against the rest of MN

86th most drought-prone of 87 MN counties; the MN middle is 3.8 in 10. Closest on the list: Stearns County (2.7 in 10) and Pennington County (1.9 in 10). Driest in MN: Wadena County (5 in 10). Least drought: Pennington County (1.9 in 10).

When in the year it hits

Most often in Mar (21% of weeks), then Oct (21%) and Apr (18%). Least in Jul (10%). May to September averages 13%.

11 Jan
16 Feb
21 Mar
18 Apr
11 May
13 Jun
10 Jul
13 Aug
17 Sep
21 Oct
16 Nov
16 Dec

The worst year: 2009

2009: 36 weeks in drought, peaking at D2 severe. Across 1,401 weekly maps: 15.1% of all weeks at D1 or worse, 3.6% at D2, 1.2% at D3, never any D4. Longest unbroken spell: 49 weeks, Sep 16, 2008 to Aug 18, 2009.

Lately

Last drought year: 2023, 17 weeks. 2016-2025: 1 in 10, against 3.8 in 10 for 2000-2015, wetter lately. So far in 2026: 5 of 44 weeks in drought, through Nov 3, 2026.