Meteorological Drought Characteristics Research Articles

Assessment of Hydrological and Meteorological Composite Drought Characteristics Based on Baseflow and Precipitation

Traditional univariate drought indices may not be sufficient to reflect comprehensive information on drought. Therefore, this paper proposes a new composite drought index that can comprehensively characterize meteorological and hydrological drought. In this study, the new drought index was established by combining the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and the standardized baseflow index (SBI) for the Jiaojiang River Basin (JRB) using the copula function. The prediction model was established by training random forests on past data, and the driving force behind the combined drought index was explored through the LIME algorithm. The results show that the established composite drought index combines the advantages of SPI and SBI in drought forecasting. The monthly and annual droughts in the JRB showed an increasing trend from 1991 to 2020, but the temporal characteristics of the changes in each subregion were different. The accuracies of the trained random forest model for heavy drought in Baizhiao (BZA) and Shaduan (SD) stations were 83% and 88%, respectively. Furthermore, the Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) interpretation identified the essential precipitation, baseflow, and evapotranspiration features that affect drought. This study provides reliable and valid multivariate indicators for drought monitoring and can be applied to drought prediction in other regions.

Correction: Abu Arra, A.; Şişman, E. Characteristics of Hydrological and Meteorological Drought Based on Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) Curves. Water 2023, 15, 3142

In the original publication [...]

Characteristics of extreme meteorological droughts over the Brazilian Pantanal throughout the 21st century

The Brazilian Pantanal is a remarkable ecosystem, encompassing vital aspects such as fish, fruit, and grain production, greenhouse gas emission regulation, temperature and precipitation modulation, and groundwater recharge. However, 2019 and 2020 experienced prolonged and severe drought that profoundly impacted the Pantanal region. Although these impacts are still under review, their effects on wildlife, vegetation, and the local population are undeniable. To enhance our understanding of the magnitude and consequences of the 2019/2020 drought, the present study conducted a comprehensive evaluation of drought occurrences in the Pantanal biome. Utilizing two well-established drought indices, the standard precipitation index (SPI) and the standard precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), we analyzed the available observational data provided by the Climate Research Unit (CRU). Additionally, we endeavored to project droughts throughout the 21st century, thereby facilitating the visualization of potential reoccurrences of hazardous events in the Pantanal area. Two regional climate model (RCM) ensembles, the Eta ensemble (E1) and CORDEX ensemble (E2), along with representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios) were used to project the severity of droughts in the Brazilian Pantanal until 2098/2099. The findings indicate that the hydrological year of 2019/2020 was the driest on record in the Pantanal over the past 80 years. The E1 ensemble did not project such an extreme event, whereas the E2 ensemble forecasted extreme droughts before the 2040s under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Using the SPEI, both ensembles showed similar results, with extreme droughts projected toward the end of the 21st century. Notably, the SPI demonstrated effectiveness in detecting short-term droughts, while the SPEI was more efficient for long-term assessments, projecting extreme drought events for the last two decades. The SPEI, employed with the Eta and CORDEX ensembles, can provide valuable insights into drought projections. Moreover, the potential recurrence of extreme droughts, characterized by significant below-average precipitation spanning vast areas throughout the hydrological year, poses a severe threat to the Pantanal biome in this century.

Future projections of meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts in China using the emergent constraint

Study regionChina. Study focusIn the context of global warming, droughts occur more frequently and have caused great losses to human society. Therefore, understanding the potential changes in future droughts under climate change is of great scientific significance for disaster prevention and mitigation. In this paper, combining with climate models from CMIP6, the emergent constraint and the skill scoring methods are used to analyze the characteristics of meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts in China under four socioeconomic scenarios in the mid and late 21st century. New hydrological insights for the regionIn the mid-21st century, there are more frequent meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts in northern China. In the late 21st century, sustained and more intense droughts are more likely to occur in China than in the mid-21st century. Additionally, the relationship between meteorological drought and agricultural/hydrological drought is strengthened to varying degrees in the future. From the perspective of extreme drought events, the probabilities of extreme drought events with long duration and high severity increase significantly in Northwest and Central China under each scenarios. In a higher socioeconomic scenario, drought is suppressed in the mid 21st century, but is intensified in the late 21st century. These findings are of great significance for drought monitoring under climate change and can provide a basis for developing measures to respond to drought.

Evaluation and Impact Assessment of Meteorological Drought Characteristics over West Africa

When a region receives little precipitation for an extended period of time, droughts occur. The environmental and socioeconomic effects it has make it one of the most devastating natural disasters that can happen to a location. For the purpose of enhancing early warning systems and lowering the risk of disasters caused by drought, research into the effects of meteorological drought characteristics on a location is crucial. Therefore, this study uses the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standard Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) to assess the effects of meteorological drought characteristics over West Africa. The study area includes West Africa's Saharan, Sahelian, and Sudanese climate zones, and Copernicus Service provided the meteorological information (temperature and precipitation). The data was based on four monthly time scales (3, 6, 12, and 24) and covered 42 years (1979-2021). The data were analyzed and the characteristics of the drought were assessed using SPI and SPEI. According to the results, there was extreme drought between the years 1982 to 1985 and year 2021. However, 1982 was the year with the highest incidence of drought, across nearly all the stations. Additionally, it was found that location 4 experiences drought continuously from 1982 to 2021, whereas all other locations experienced absence of drought for a short period of time. Comparing the SPI and SPEI results, SPI produced results for the drought analysis that were comparable to those of SPEI for each of the monthly time scales for all locations. Majority of the locations will likely experience drought every seven to ten years, with location 4 possibly experiencing at least a mild drought every year. Finally, this study suggests that, in light of the time-scales analysis and drought classification for each location, SPI and SPEI represent the most suitable measures for the region's drought monitoring.

Temporal evolution and spatial variation of meteorological drought characteristics in Iran's diverse climates over the past half century

Temporal evolution and spatial variation of meteorological drought characteristics in Iran's diverse climates over the past half century

Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Meteorological Drought in Inner Mongolia Inland River Basin and Its Driving Factors

In order to analyze the temporal and spatial evolution of meteorological drought and explore its driving factors, the inland river basin of Inner Mongolia (IMIRB) was taken as a typical research area, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) of various scales was calculated, and the spatio-temporal trend change characteristics of meteorological drought were analyzed combined with the modified Mann–Kendall trend test (MMK). The typical meteorological drought events were analyzed by using the three-dimensional identification method, and the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and dynamic evolution law of meteorological drought were analyzed comprehensively and accurately. The driving effects of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), North Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), Arctic Oscillation (AO), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and sunspot on meteorological drought were investigated by using the cross wavelet method. The results are as follows: (1) with the increase of SPEI time scale, the frequency of meteorological drought decreased, but the duration and intensity of drought increased; (2) the trend was greatest in spring, with the largest number of areas showing a significant downward trend in SPEI, the strongest persistence in intensity, and significant aridification characteristics; (3) summer meteorological droughts had the largest area of high intensity drought but the smallest area of high frequency areas, and winter droughts had the smallest area of high intensity drought but the largest percentage of high frequency areas; (4) the meteorological drought event that occurred from April 2017 to December 2017 was the most serious, and reached its maximum value in June 2017, which mainly experienced five processes: occurrence—intensification—attenuation—re-intensification—extinction; (5) atmospheric circulation factor, sunspot, and meteorological drought of IMIRB were correlated, and ENSO had the greatest effect on drought. This study provides effective theoretical support for IMIRB drought prevention and disaster reduction.

Determining the response of ecological drought to meteorological and groundwater droughts in Northwest China using a spatio-temporal matching method

Meteorological drought and groundwater drought in ecologically fragile regions may induce ecological drought. Currently, there is no effective method for revealing the response mechanism of ecological drought to meteorological drought and groundwater drought. Taking Northwest China (NWRC) as an example, meteorological drought, groundwater drought and ecological drought were evluated by standardized pricipitation index, standardized groundwater storage anomaly index, and standardized ecological water deficit index, respectively. The spatio-temporal matching method was improved for identifying propagation between three types of drought events. Then, a model of ecological drought characteristics in response to meteorological drought and groundwater drought characteristics was constructed based on the copula function. Finally, the Bayesian model was used to determine the thresholds of meteorological drought and groundwater drought that trigger ecological drought events at different drought levels. The key findings are as follows. (1) A total of 31 pairs of meteorological-groundwater-ecological drought events with a genetic relationship were identified. The ecological drought events with larger severity were caused by the joint effect of meteorological and groundwater drought, and most of them occurred before the 21st century. (2) The optimal response models of the affected area, duration, and intensity of ecological drought events were Gumbel copula driven by the affected area of meteorological drought, the Student t copula driven by the duration of groundwater drought, and the Joe copula driven by the severity of meteorological and ecological drought, respectively. (3) The thresholds and the corresponding curves of meteorological drought and groundwater drought to trigger mild, moderate, severe, and extreme ecological drought events were obtained. Results of this study can provide valuable information for early warning of ecological drought.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological drought events in 34 major global river basins during 1901–2021

Meteorological drought is a crucial driver of various types of droughts; thus, identifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological drought at the basin scale has implications for ecological and water resource security. However, differences in drought characteristics between river basins have not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we identify and compare meteorological drought events in 34 major river basins worldwide using a three-dimensional drought-clustering algorithm based on the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index on a 12-month scale from 1901 to 2021. Despite synchronous increases in precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET), with precipitation increasing by more than three times the PET, 47 % (16/34) of the basins showed a tendency towards drought in over half their basin areas. Drought events occurred frequently, with more than half identified as short-term droughts (lasting less than or equal to three months). Small basins had a larger drought impact area, with major drought events often originating from the basin boundaries and migrating towards the basin centre. Meteorological droughts were driven by changes in sea surface temperature (SST), especially the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) or other climate indices. Anomalies in SST and atmospheric circulation caused by ENSO events may have led to altered climate patterns in different basins, resulting in drought events. These results provide important insights into the characteristics and mechanisms of meteorological droughts in different river basins worldwide.

Propagation characteristics of meteorological drought to hydrological drought considering nonlinear correlations - A case study of the Hanjiang River Basin, China

Meteorological drought serves as the precursor to hydrological drought. Clarifying the propagation characteristics from meteorological drought to hydrological drought is crucial for predicting and mitigating this severe natural disaster. In this study, we proposed an assessment framework that integrates both linear and nonlinear methods to characterize the transition from meteorological to hydrological drought in terms of drought response time, effective drought transformation rate, and drought propagation threshold. Utilizing ERA5 land reanalysis data (1951–2022) and focusing on the Hanjiang River Basin in China, we analyzed drought propagation features with and without inter-basin water diversion. Extracted drought event pairs indicate that a more significant meteorological drought does not necessarily result in a more severe hydrological drought, and vice versa, which confirms the nonlinear propagation from meteorological to hydrological drought. The drought response times derived using the linear method are, on average, two months shorter than those derived using the nonlinear method. Inter-basin water diversion will weaken the drought linear correlation while strengthening the nonlinear correlation. When the annual water diversion exceeds 12.0 billion m3, the drought response time will experience a sudden reduction. This research provides a scientific method and reference for basin-scale water resource management and drought mitigation practice.

Modeling future (2021–2050) meteorological drought characteristics using CMIP6 climate scenarios in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Consistent drought modelling under plausible shared socioeconomic–representative concentration pathways (SSP–RCPs) are crucial for effectively managing future drought risk in agricultural environments. The Western Cape (WC) is one of South Africa’s main agro-based provinces and faces a mounting threat of water insecurity due to recurrent drought. The objective of this study was to predict meteorological drought hazard for 2021–2050 based on three CMIP6 scenarios: SSP5–8.5, SSP2–4.5 and SSP1–2.6. Precipitation simulations generated by the sixth version of Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC6) under the SSP5–8.5, SSP2–4.5 and SSP1–2.6 scenarios were used from fifteen stations across the six AEZs of the WC province. The Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) was computed at 12-month timescales. Trend analysis of precipitation datasets and the SPI-values were done at p < 0.05 using the Mann–Kendall (M–K) test. The findings revealed negative precipitation trends of − 7.6 mm/year in Ceres, while positive trends of 0.3 mm/year were observed in Malmesbury. These findings indicate an improvement from − 7.8 and − 6.4 mm/year in the same regions, respectively, compared to historical trends observed between 1980 and 2020. The results suggest that in 2042 and 2044, Bredasdorp will experience − 2 < SPI < − 1.5 under the SSP2–4.5 scenarios, while Matroosberg in 2038 under the SSP5–8.5 will experience SPI > − 2. The findings of this study will assist in the development of proactive planning and implementation of drought mitigation strategies and policies aimed at reducing water insecurity in AEZs.

Teleconnections of Atmospheric Circulations to Meteorological Drought in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin

The Lancang-Mekong River Basin (LMRB) is one of the major transboundary basins globally, facing ongoing challenges due to flood and drought disasters. Particularly in the past two decades, the basin has experienced an increased frequency of meteorological drought events, posing serious threats to the local socio-economic structures and ecological systems. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the meteorological drought characteristics in the LMRB and identify the impact and correlation of atmospheric circulation on the meteorological drought in the basin. Specifically, the different levels of meteorological drought events were defined using the Run Theory based on the seasonal and annual SPEI from 1980 to 2018. The time lag correlation between meteorological drought events and the EI Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Arctic Oscillation (AO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), were analyzed in the LMRB. Our results indicated that, from a temporal perspective, the period from November to April of the following year was particularly prone to meteorological droughts in the basin. In terms of spatial distribution, the primary agricultural regions within the basin, including Thailand, Eastern Cambodia, and Vietnam, were highly susceptible to meteorological droughts. Further analysis revealed a teleconnection between drought events in the LMRB and atmospheric circulation factors. The sensitivity of the basin’s drought timing to its response decreased in the order of the ENSO &gt; AO &gt; NAO &gt; PDO. In general, the ENSO had the most substantial influence on drought events in the basin, with the strongest response relationship, while the upper reaches of the basin displayed the most significant response to the AO; the occurrence and progression of meteorological droughts in this area synchronized with the AO. These findings enhance our understanding of drought-prone areas in the LMRB, including the meteorological factors and driving mechanisms involved. This information is valuable for effectively mitigating and managing drought risks in the region.

A comparative assessment of meteorological drought characteristics in agro-climatic zones of Rajasthan (arid) and Tamil Nadu (humid), India

A comparative assessment of meteorological drought characteristics in agro-climatic zones of Rajasthan (arid) and Tamil Nadu (humid), India

Agroecological-based modeling of meteorological drought at 12-month time scale in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

AbstractTo mitigate the effects of drought in water-stressed agro-ecological zones (AEZs), it is crucial to implement efficient monitoring of drought characteristics and establish proactive water-use strategies. The Western Cape (WC) province is being confronted with an escalating threat of diminished water availability due to unsustainable human activities. The objective of this study was to assess the spatio-temporal characteristics of meteorological drought within a 12-month timescale in the WC province of South Africa spanning from 1980 to 2020. The University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit provided precipitation datasets from fifteen stations across the six AEZs of the WC province. These datasets were processed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). The Mann–Kendall (M–K) test was used to analyze the precipitation trend and SPI values at a significance level of p &lt; 0.05. The results indicated substantial negative trends in annual precipitation across all AEZs. An examination of seasonal precipitation patterns revealed a rise in summer precipitation in subtropical cool-arid regions and subtropical warm semi-arid regions, with increases of 0.4 and 0.2 mm/year, respectively. Conversely, the overall annual precipitation trend fell by -1.0 mm/year in both AEZs. The SPI values consistently fell within the range of -2 to 0 in the subtropical warm-arid, subtropical cool-arid, and subtropical cool-arid zones. Conversely, the SPI values were consistently positive in the subtropical warm-arid, subtropical cool-humid, and subtropical warm-humid zones. This finding suggests that there will be persistent drought conditions that will affect agricultural production, surface flows in rivers, and groundwater levels across the WC province.

Temporal and spatial propagation characteristics of meteorological drought to hydrological drought and influencing factors

Meteorological drought, characterized by a decrease in precipitation, leads to hydrological drought, characterized by a decrease in runoff through the water cycle. Currently, research on drought propagation primarily considers the entire region as the research object, which cannot effectively reflect the difference in propagation characteristics within the region. Therefore, this study analyzed the propagation time, probability, and threshold of meteorological to hydrological drought based on precipitation and runoff data with 0.25° spatial resolution. The propagation time was primarily determined according to the correlation coefficients of the standard precipitation index and standard streamflow index sequences at different timescales. To calculate the propagation probability and propagation threshold, this study proposes a novel method based on Bayesian conditional probabilities to calculate the propagation characteristics that embody the internal mechanism of propagation effectively by fitting the marginal and joint distributions. Otherwise, based on the 20-year moving average and Mann–Kendall trend test to analyze the dynamic changing trends of propagation probability and propagation threshold during the study period (1961–2015). In addition, the influences on the propagation threshold were analyzed from the perspectives of meteorology (precipitation, temperature, and evaporation) and the underlying surface (elevation, slope, and soil moisture). The analysis of drought propagation characteristics can deepen the understanding of the propagation process, which also provides guidance for the timely formulation of drought control measures in the future.

Long-term spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological drought in China from a three-dimensional (longitude, latitude, time) perspective

Currently, there is an absence of an exhaustive elucidation regarding the long-term spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological droughts in China. Previous studies have predominantly fixated on the lower-dimensional (temporal or spatial) facets of drought events, overlooking critical spatiotemporal details. This paper proposes an integrated processing framework that employs a three-dimensional clustering algorithm to discern drought events and quantifies the spatiotemporal patterns and dynamic attributes of China’s meteorological droughts during 1950–2021 from a three-dimensional perspective encompassing longitude, latitude, and time, capturing comprehensive spatiotemporal information. Additionally, the cross wavelet transform is harnessed to elucidate the impact of teleconnection factors on meteorological drought. The findings underscore that prolonged and extensive meteorological drought events, characterized by heightened severity, primarily manifest during the 1950 s, 1960 s, and 2010 s in temporal, predominantly within the central and western China spatially. From 1950 onwards, the severity, duration, and affected area of meteorological droughts in China exhibit a discernible pattern of initial decline followed by escalation. Into the 2010 s, meteorological droughts became more severe and active. China's meteorological drought displays two relatively prevailing spatial migration patterns: an overarching eastward and westward migration. In the former, the most frequent migration occurs to the east and northeast during its monthly evolution, while the latter involves migration primarily towards the west, southwest, and northwest. The impact of teleconnection factors on meteorological drought shows a spatiotemporal heterogeneity, with ENSO exhibiting a relatively substantial and intricate influencer. This research unearths the latest long-term spatiotemporal dynamics of meteorological drought in China, which contributes to an improved comprehension of drought patterns and behaviors.

Assessing meteorological and agricultural drought characteristics and drought propagation in Guangdong, China

Study regionGuangdong, China Study focusDroughts have resulted in significant crop failure in Guangdong province, where annual crop yield exceed 12 million tons. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive assessment of both meteorological drought and agricultural drought in Guangdong, particularly regarding the influencing factors and drought propagation. This study aims to address this gap by utilizing the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and soil water deficit index (SWDI) to represent meteorological drought and agricultural drought, respectively. To examine the characteristics of drought in the past 50 years (1973–2022), the year is divided into flood and non-flood season based on the temporal distribution of precipitation. New hydrological insights for the regionOver the last five decades, the number of meteorological and agricultural drought days decreases from coastal to inland areas. Notably, agricultural droughts have become more pronounced in the last two decades. More agricultural drought days appears during the non-flood season than the flood season. Precipitation emerges as the most influential factor for meteorological drought, while potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration and temperature are identified as the primary factors for agricultural drought. The drought propagation time ranges from 10 to 45 days which is shorter in central Guangdong than other regions, and it is longer in non-flood season than in flood season.

Spatiotemporal Variation in the Meteorological Drought Comprehensive Index in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region during 1961–2023

It is crucial to investigate the characteristics of meteorological drought in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region to improve the accuracy of agriculture and water resource monitoring and management. In this study, using instrumental observation data from 85 meteorological stations in the BTH region during 1961–2023 derived from the National Meteorological Information Center, we first calculated the meteorological drought comprehensive index (MCI) and analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of the MCI. In the BTH region, the MCI intensity from May to June was the most severe in the intraseasonal variation. The trend of the decreasing drought intensity in May–June has occurred for the past 60 years. The southern region in the BTH region was more likely to experience droughts. Next, the spatial patterns of the top two EOF modes of the May–June MCI were depicted. The primary spatial pattern of the BTH, which was characterized by consistent changes in the MCI throughout the entire BTH region, could be represented by the first mode’s R2 of 69.01%. Then, we compared the spatial pattern of the MCI intensity under different return periods. Using the May–June MCI of 1961–2023, the drought intensity gradually increased from northwest to southeast for the 10-, 20-, and 50-year return periods. However, the drought intensity decreased and then increased from northwest to southeast based on the 1991–2023 MCI. Notably, a 20-year return period of severe drought affected Beijing and northern Hebei in 2023. Finally, we discussed the linkages of drought in the BTH region and atmospheric circulation/sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, which were calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient and wavelet coherence. We suggest that the MCI variations in the BTH region may be related to the SST anomalies of the Indian Ocean in 1961–1990 and the Pacific Ocean in 1991–2023, respectively. The abovementioned studies have enlightened us to focus on predicting the Pacific SST for drought, which will facilitate agricultural production and water resource management in the BTH region.

Estimation of regional meteorological aridity and drought characteristics in Baluchistan province, Pakistan.

Droughts and prevailing arid conditions have a significant impacts on the natural environment, agriculture, and human life. To analyze the regional characteristics of drought in Baluchistan province, the aridity index (AI) and standardized potential evapotranspiration index (SPEI) were used in. The study analyzed the rainfall, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration (PET) data and the same were used for the calculation of AI as well as SPEI to find out the drought spells during the study period. The linear regression and Mann-Kendall test were applied to calculate the trend in AI as well as in SPEI results. The AI results revealed that most of the meteorological stations are arid and semi-arid, where the highest increasing aridity is noted at Kalat (0.0065/year). The results of the SPEI at 1 and 6-months identified the extreme to severe drought spell during 1998-2002 in all meteorological stations of Baluchistan province. The distinct drought spells identified from the SPEI results were in the years 1998-2003, 2006-2010, 2015-2016 and 2019. The drought frequency results showed highest frequency percentage at Lasbella (46%) of extreme to severe drought. The Mann-Kendall trend results showed negative trend in monthly AI and 1-month SPEI results and most significant trend was observed in April and October months, this shows that aridity and drought in the region are decreasing to some extent except Dalbandin and Lasbella observed increasing trend in winter season (November to January months) and Kalat met-station observed increasing trend in June. Prior investigation and planning of drought situations can help in controlling the far-reaching consequences on environment and human society.

Three-dimensional meteorological drought characteristics and associated risk in China

Drought as a hazardous natural disaster has been widely studied based on various drought indices. However, the characteristics of droughts have not been robustly explored considering its dual nature in space and time across China in the past few decades. Here, we characterized meteorological drought events from a three-dimensional perspective for the 1961–2018 period in the mainland of China, and attributed the variation of drought intensity to its influencing factors. We further assessed associated drought risk with socioeconomic data for the 2002–2018 period. We found that drought events with high intensity, large area, and long duration are mainly distributed in western and northern China, especially in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Qinghai. The drought intensity and affected area anomalies present a six-phase pattern of ‘negative-positive-negative-positive-negative-positive’ during 1961–2018. The intensity of drought events showed a decreasing trend but the affected area and duration showed an increasing trend in 2009–2018. Over the decades, the centers of high drought intensity and long duration tend to move eastward and northeastward, respectively. The PET variations contributes larger than precipitation variations to drought intensity variations in the arid regions while being opposite in the humid southern regions. Drought risk assessment further indicates that high drought risk areas are concentrated in northern China, including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Gansu, Sichuan, Hebei, and Heilongjiang. Increasing trends in drought risk for the 2002–2018 period are detected in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Sichuan, Henan, Gansu, Hunan, Shanxi, Qinghai. Our findings provide scientific guidance for policymakers to develop adaptive disaster prevention measures.