Droughts, as a research topic, encompass the characterization, drivers, impacts, and prediction of prolonged periods of abnormally low water availability in the atmosphere, soil, and hydrological systems. Scientific study distinguishes meteorological, agricultural, hydrological, and socio-economic droughts, often quantified using indices such as the Standardized Precipitation Index or Palmer Drought Severity Index. Research investigates land–atmosphere feedbacks, large-scale circulation anomalies, soil moisture deficits, vegetation stress, and groundwater depletion, as well as the modulation of drought frequency, duration, and intensity by climate variability and anthropogenic climate change, with implications for water resources management, ecosystem functioning, and risk assessment.
Northern Australia's annual monsoon season brings relief to drought-stricken lands and revitalizes crops and livestock for farmers. But a study of 150,000 years of climate records shows that the monsoon is likely to intensify—triggering ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 9, 2025
0
27
A daily mismatch between temperature and humidity, observed in certain mountain and waterside regions, helps regulate atmospheric dryness. According to a new study published in Science Advances, this protective effect may ...
Earth Sciences
Jul 8, 2025
0
56
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln's National Drought Mitigation Center and the United Nations' Convention to Combat Desertification have released a report outlining the impacts of drought around the world since 2023.
Environment
Jul 8, 2025
0
22
Too little rain, too little water in the landscape—so simple, so serious. Even if the drought is obvious because freshwaters carry less water, plants wither and the soil becomes brittle and cracked, the drying out itself ...
Environment
Jul 3, 2025
0
22
On the drought-stricken plains of Morocco's Chtouka region, cherry tomato farms stretch as far as the eye can see, clinging to life through a single, environmentally contentious lifeline: desalination.
Environment
Jul 3, 2025
0
43
AI can assist early warning systems that predict impacts of extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy rainfall.
Environment
Jun 30, 2025
0
39
How often do you mow your lawn in winter? That may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought. But the answer helps explain why our current drought has not broken, despite recent rain—and why spring lamb may ...
Environment
Jun 27, 2025
0
30
A recent study by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) reveals a looming climate crisis: the world could face heightened risks of "precipitation whiplashes"—violent swings between extreme droughts and ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 25, 2025
1
44
As Britain's first heat wave of 2025 hits with temperatures climbing above 30°C, Yorkshire has joined the northwest in official drought status.
Earth Sciences
Jun 25, 2025
0
21
The economic costs of drought could rise by more than one-third in the next 10 years without urgent reforms to water policies and irrigation systems, especially in resource-limited countries, according to new analysis.
Environment
Jun 24, 2025
0
31
