Notes

What is a drought?
A drought is when there is a lack of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually a season or more, resulting in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental part. Its impacts result from the interaction between the natural event (less precipitation than expected) and the demand people place on water supply, and human activities can exacerbate the impacts of drought.



If you live in a place where most of the water you use comes from a river, a drought in your area can be caused by places upstream from you not receiving enough moisture. There would be less water in the river for you and other people who live along the river to use. People can also play a big role in drought. If we use too much water during times of normal rainfall, we might not have enough water when a drought happens.


Wherever there is a shortage of rain over a long period of time, there is drought. Drought affects plants, animals, and people. It is a serious problem for farmers and for the people who depend on the crops they produce.


Drought may occur almost anywhere in the world. Deserts receive very little rain all year. They are sometimes said to be in a permanent drought. Places that have a rainy season and a dry season have seasonal drought during the dry season. Other places can experience drought at any time.

Drought results from changes in Earth’s atmosphere. Some droughts are caused by shifts in the winds that normally bring rain to an area. Others are caused by changing ocean currents, which affect the temperature and moisture of the air.

Severe droughts can last for months or years. When this happens no crops will grow. As a result many people and animals may die of famine, or lack of food. Severe droughts often force people and animals to move to find water. Some farmers go to places where they think conditions will be better for their crops and animals. Some people give up farming altogether. They move to cities to find other types of work.