Drought occurs when an area doesn’t receive enough rain or snow to keep vegetation and groundwater in good condition. This can happen for a long time, and it is usually caused by the same things as other weather problems, like air temperature or wind patterns that affect where clouds and moisture move.
Climate change may also make droughts worse, because higher temperatures cause more water to evaporate from the surface of soils. The evaporation rate is affected by the amount of sunshine and how much heat an area gets, and it’s also influenced by the type of plants that grow there. This can lead to less water in streams, lakes and reservoirs, and it can decrease the depth of water available in aquifers.
During a drought, farmers are likely to experience crop failures and pasture losses for livestock. This can have economic impacts, and it can make the situation even worse for people who rely on importing food from other regions. People in developing countries are especially vulnerable to drought because they may not have other food sources if the crops they depend on die.
The only way to stop a drought is with regular, soaking rains that soak into the ground. One thunderstorm may help, but multiple soaking rains are needed to restore conditions to normal.