Because drought is defined as a deficit in water supply, it can be caused by a number of factors. The most important one though relates to the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere as this is what creates precipitation. More rain, sleet, hail, and snow can occur where there are moist, low-pressure air systems.
This begs the query “What are the causes and effects of drought?”
Meteorological droughts occur when dry weather patterns dominate an area. Hydrological droughts refer to when low water supply becomes evident in the water systemAgricultural droughts happen when crops become affected by drought. Socioeconomic droughts occur when the supply and demand of various commodities is affected by drought., and more items.
All of that notwithstanding, current events – drought, wildfires and a flareup the political heat for telling Californians they can’t water their lawns as often as they’d like.
Droughts happen when there is not enough rain for a long period of time. It’s not like a dry spell – there is so little precipitation (rain, snow, sleet or any kind of moisture) that a whole region starts to dry out.
Why are droughts so bad?
Drought also creates large amount of dust. Dust in agricultural areas is full of toxic chemicals used to fertilize soil or rid it of pests.
What are facts about drought?
Grazing land is inadequate. Fire season is longer, with high burn intensity, dry fuels, and large fire spatial extent. Trees are stressed; plants increase reproductive mechanisms; wildlife diseases increase .
What are some interesting facts about droughts?
They are: Meteorological drought – that is caused by shortage of precipitation or rainfall. Agricultural drought – that is caused by lack of moisture in the soil. Hydrological drought – that is caused by low levels of water in various water sources like rivers, lakes, etc. Socioeconomic drought – that is caused by shortage of tap and drinking water.
Another common query is “What should you do in a drought?”.
Water manually in fall and winter only if needed. Use mulch around trees and plants to retain moisture in the soil. Mulch also helps control weeds that compete with plants for water. Invest in a weather-based irrigation controller —or a smart controller.