Characteristics of meteorological droughts in northwestern India

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 900mm. 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 3-4years. The westerly districts have an average drought return period of 3years, while districts lying toward the east had droughts once every 4years. Only four of the 90 districts in the study area experienced droughts once every 5years. Persistent droughts of 2, 3, and 4year 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 10years. 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.