Characteristics of meteorological droughts in northwestern India

Kumar Amrit (), Rajendra P. Pandey and Surendra K. Mishra
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Kumar Amrit: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Rajendra P. Pandey: National Institute of Hydrology
Surendra K. Mishra: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2018, vol. 94, issue 2, No 4, 582 pages

Abstract: Abstract This study analyses regional drought characteristics (frequency, severity, and persistence) of meteorological droughts occurred in the northwestern parts falling under arid and semiarid regions of India with mean annual rainfall ranging between 100 and 900 mm. A drought is defined as a season or a year with rainfall less than 75% of corresponding mean at a place. Long-term monthly rainfall records (1901–2013) of 90 districts of north-west India located in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat are used in the analysis. The percentage departure of seasonal rainfall from long-term average rainfall has been used for identification of onset, termination, and quantification of drought severity. The average frequency varied from once every 3–4 years. The westerly districts have an average drought return period of 3 years, while districts lying toward the east had droughts once every 4 years. Only four of the 90 districts in the study area experienced droughts once every 5 years. Persistent droughts of 2, 3, and 4 year duration occurred widely. Severe droughts occurred in the years 1904, 1905, 1911, 1918, 1931, 1939, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, and 2002, with an average frequency of severe drought events of one in 10 years. The analysis presented in this paper improves understanding of the regional drought characteristics and will inform drought mitigations and strategies in these arid and semiarid areas.

Keywords: Northwestern India; Drought return period; Drought severity; Meteorological drought (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-018-3402-0

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