Drought is a natural hazard with far-reaching impacts that range from economic losses to loss of agriculture and livelihood. Drought can cause or exacerbate water, food, and national security hazards. The maps, tools, and resources on this page address drought conditions around the world.
Global Drought ConditionsDrought results from an imbalance between water supply and water demand. The Standardized Precipitation Index captures how observed precipitation (rain, hail, snow) deviates from the climatological average over a given time period.
This map shows a 3-month SPI from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECWMF) Reanalysis Version 5 (ERA5).
The ERA5 daily precipitation dataset from 1940–present combines vast amounts of historical observations into global estimates using advanced modeling and data assimilation systems. ERA5 is produced by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) at ECMWF.
Source(s): ECMWFDrought results from an imbalance between water supply and water demand. The Standardized Precipitation Index captures how observed precipitation (rain, hail, snow) deviates from the climatological average over a given time period.
This map shows a 9-month SPI from the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC).
The GPCC monthly precipitation dataset from 1901–present is calculated from global station data.
The Vegetation Health Index is a proxy characterizing vegetation health or a combined estimation of moisture and thermal conditions. Vegetation health is often used to estimate crop condition and anticipated yield. Values below 40 (pink/orange shades) indicate different levels of vegetation stress, and losses of crop and pasture production might be expected. Values above 60 (green/blue shades) indicate favorable conditions.
tag: Drought IndexA drought index combines multiple drought indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) to depict drought conditions. For some products, like the U.S. Drought Monitor, authors combine their analysis of drought indicators with input from local observers. Other drought indices, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), use an objective calculation to describe the severity, location, timing, and/or duration of drought.
tag: PrecipitationDrought is defined as the lack of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually for a season or more, that results in a water shortage. Changes in precipitation can substantially disrupt crops and livestock, influence the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, and affect the quality and quantity of water available for municipal and industrial use.
tag: Drought IndexA drought index combines multiple drought indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) to depict drought conditions. For some products, like the U.S. Drought Monitor, authors combine their analysis of drought indicators with input from local observers. Other drought indices, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), use an objective calculation to describe the severity, location, timing, and/or duration of drought.
tag: PrecipitationDrought is defined as the lack of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually for a season or more, that results in a water shortage. Changes in precipitation can substantially disrupt crops and livestock, influence the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, and affect the quality and quantity of water available for municipal and industrial use.
tag: Drought IndexA drought index combines multiple drought indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) to depict drought conditions. For some products, like the U.S. Drought Monitor, authors combine their analysis of drought indicators with input from local observers. Other drought indices, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), use an objective calculation to describe the severity, location, timing, and/or duration of drought.
tag: Flash DroughtFlash drought is the rapid onset or intensification of drought. Unlike slow-evolving drought, which is caused by a decline in precipitation, flash drought occurs when low precipitation is accompanied by abnormally high temperatures, high winds, and/or changes in radiation. These sometimes-rapid changes can quickly raise evapotranspiration rates and remove available water from the landscape.
tag: AgricultureDrought can reduce the water availability and water quality necessary for productive farms, ranches, and grazing lands, resulting in significant negative direct and indirect economic impacts to the agricultural sector. Monitoring agricultural drought typically focuses on examining levels of precipitation, evaporative demand, soil moisture, and surface/groundwater quantity and quality.
tag: VegetationDrought can result in reduced growth rates, increased stress on vegetation , and alterations or transformations to the plant community and/or the entire ecosystem. During periods of drought, plants increase their demand for water through increased evapotranspiration and longer growing seasons.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is -2.0 or less, indicating exceptional drought (D4) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -1.9 to -1.6, indicating extreme drought (D3) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -1.5 to -1.3, indicating severe drought (D2) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -1.2 to -0.8, indicating moderate drought (D1) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -0.7 to -0.5, indicating abnormally dry (D0) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 0.5 to 0.7, indicating abnormally wet (W0) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 0.8 to 1.2, indicating moderate wet (W1) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 1.3 to 1.5, indicating severe wet (W2) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 1.6 to 1.9, indicating extreme wet (W3) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is 2.0 or greater, indicating exceptional wet (W4) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is -2.0 or less, indicating exceptional drought (D4) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -1.9 to -1.6, indicating extreme drought (D3) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -1.5 to -1.3, indicating severe drought (D2) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -1.2 to -0.8, indicating moderate drought (D1) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -0.7 to -0.5, indicating abnormally dry (D0) conditions.
Neutral ConditionsThe Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between -0.5 to 0.5, indicating neutral conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 0.5 to 0.7, indicating abnormally wet (W0) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 0.8 to 1.2, indicating moderate wet (W1) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 1.3 to 1.5, indicating severe wet (W2) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is between 1.6 to 1.9, indicating extreme wet (W3) conditions.
The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for this location is 2.0 or greater, indicating exceptional wet (W4) conditions.
Drought results from an imbalance between water supply and water demand. The Standardized Precipitation Index captures how observed precipitation (rain, hail, snow) deviates from the climatological average over a given time period.
This map shows a 3-month SPI from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECWMF) Reanalysis Version 5 (ERA5).
The ERA5 daily precipitation dataset from 1940–present combines vast amounts of historical observations into global estimates using advanced modeling and data assimilation systems. ERA5 is produced by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) at ECMWF.
Drought results from an imbalance between water supply and water demand. The Standardized Precipitation Index captures how observed precipitation (rain, hail, snow) deviates from the climatological average over a given time period.
This map shows a 9-month SPI from the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC).
The GPCC monthly precipitation dataset from 1901–present is calculated from global station data.
The Vegetation Health Index is a proxy characterizing vegetation health or a combined estimation of moisture and thermal conditions. Vegetation health is often used to estimate crop condition and anticipated yield. Values below 40 (pink/orange shades) indicate different levels of vegetation stress, and losses of crop and pasture production might be expected. Values above 60 (green/blue shades) indicate favorable conditions.
Source(s): ECMWFThe ERA5 3-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is updated daily with a latency of 7–10 days.
The GPCC 9-Month Standardized Precipitation Index is updated on the 10th of each month with data for the previous month.
The Vegetation Health Index map updates weekly.
tag: Drought IndexA drought index combines multiple drought indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) to depict drought conditions. For some products, like the U.S. Drought Monitor, authors combine their analysis of drought indicators with input from local observers. Other drought indices, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), use an objective calculation to describe the severity, location, timing, and/or duration of drought.
tag: PrecipitationDrought is defined as the lack of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually for a season or more, that results in a water shortage. Changes in precipitation can substantially disrupt crops and livestock, influence the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, and affect the quality and quantity of water available for municipal and industrial use.
tag: Drought IndexA drought index combines multiple drought indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) to depict drought conditions. For some products, like the U.S. Drought Monitor, authors combine their analysis of drought indicators with input from local observers. Other drought indices, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), use an objective calculation to describe the severity, location, timing, and/or duration of drought.
tag: PrecipitationDrought is defined as the lack of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually for a season or more, that results in a water shortage. Changes in precipitation can substantially disrupt crops and livestock, influence the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, and affect the quality and quantity of water available for municipal and industrial use.
tag: Drought IndexA drought index combines multiple drought indicators (e.g., precipitation, temperature, soil moisture) to depict drought conditions. For some products, like the U.S. Drought Monitor, authors combine their analysis of drought indicators with input from local observers. Other drought indices, like the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), use an objective calculation to describe the severity, location, timing, and/or duration of drought.
tag: Flash DroughtFlash drought is the rapid onset or intensification of drought. Unlike slow-evolving drought, which is caused by a decline in precipitation, flash drought occurs when low precipitation is accompanied by abnormally high temperatures, high winds, and/or changes in radiation. These sometimes-rapid changes can quickly raise evapotranspiration rates and remove available water from the landscape.
tag: AgricultureDrought can reduce the water availability and water quality necessary for productive farms, ranches, and grazing lands, resulting in significant negative direct and indirect economic impacts to the agricultural sector. Monitoring agricultural drought typically focuses on examining levels of precipitation, evaporative demand, soil moisture, and surface/groundwater quantity and quality.
tag: VegetationDrought can result in reduced growth rates, increased stress on vegetation , and alterations or transformations to the plant community and/or the entire ecosystem. During periods of drought, plants increase their demand for water through increased evapotranspiration and longer growing seasons.
Data Valid: 09/02/24 Data Valid: 08/10/24 Data Valid: 09/03/24Environmental Impacts
Droughts can compromise a wide range of ecosystem services, including provisioning services such as food, fuel, and freshwater; regulating services such as pollination and pest regulation; and support services such as soil fertility and nutrient cycling. Significant or persistent droughts may alter ecosystem functions and compromise ecosystem goods and services, resulting in diminished or damaged ecological functioning.
Economic Impacts
Droughts may result in significant, long-term economic losses in a range of sectors. Losses may be local to the drought-affected area or they may be widespread through economic value chains and by cascading losses to other sectors and the national or global economy. In some regions of the world, drought may cause or exacerbate food shortages and food insecurity, unemployment, poverty, inflation, conflict, and internal displacement or migration.
Cultural and Social Impacts
Cultural and social constructs underlie how water is perceived, valued, and managed in different societies. In many cultures and belief systems, water is strongly tied to cultural heritage and religious and spiritual practices. These may inform a social understanding of the causes and solutions for drought and may support communities in coping with drought. Further, drought impacts can vary in severity based on gender, ethnic group, religion, likelihood strategies, and other societal roles and vulnerabilities.
Health Impacts
Drought can cause significant human health impacts, and the socioeconomic environment in which drought occurs influences the resilience of affected populations. In poorer or marginalized communities, drought may exacerbate existing health disparities. Drought impacts on food production systems and agricultural value chains can contribute to nutritional deficiencies. Drought can also exacerbate gaps in sanitation and hygiene coverage and reliability, which may disproportionately affect women and girls when they are responsible for household water supply.