A drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall. It can last weeks, months, or years. Droughts are not just about rain. Temperature, wind, soil moisture, and water demand all shape how severe a drought becomes. A dry winter can set up a summer crisis.

Droughts creep in slowly. They do not arrive like a hurricane. Reservoirs drop. Wells run dry. Crops wilt. Rivers shrink to trickles. Wildfires become more likely. The economic damage mounts over time. In some regions, droughts have lasted for decades, turning farmland into dust.

Human-caused climate change is intensifying droughts. Warmer temperatures increase evaporation, drying out soil faster even when rain does fall. The southwestern United States has been in a megadrought since 2000, the worst in over 1,000 years. Water managers now plan for permanent scarcity rather than temporary shortage.

Common types

• Meteorological: lack of rainfall
• Hydrological: low water in rivers and reservoirs
• Agricultural: soil moisture deficit
• Socioeconomic: water shortage affecting people
• Flash drought: rapid onset