Little or no precipitation is one of the major causes of a drought. Lower than average El Niño. El Niño events affecting several parts of the world are often associated with hotter and drier weather Dry Season. Since humidity levels are more, or droughts are common in areas experiencing long, dry seasons are a few extra ideas to pay attention too.
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.
You should be thinking “What are the main causes of droughts?”
Types of Drought. Different sets of people have different definitions of drought. This is the major cause of droughts in most regions. Economic effects of droughts usually involve loss of money by governments, enterprises, families or individuals.
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.
When this pattern continues for several weeks, months or years, the flow of streams and rivers decreases and water levels in lakes, reservoirs and wells fall. Eventually, the unusual dry weather causes water supply issues, and the dry period becomes a drought.
When rainfall is less than normal for a period of weeks to years, streamflows decline, water levels in lakes and reservoirs fall, and the depth to water in wells increases. If dry weather persists and water-supply problems develop, the dry period can become a drought. When does a drought begin and end?
Why do droughts cause lakes to dry?
Increased diversion for irrigated agriculture, the building of dams and reduced rainfall over the lake’s surface, are also named as contributing factors.
Warming climates, drought, and overuse are draining crucial water sources, threatening habitats and cultures. Tire tracks stretched across the flat lake bed to the horizon.
Do droughts just happen in hot and dry places?
But droughts don’t just happen in hot and dry places. A close-up image of dry, cracked soil during a drought. Credit: Public Domain A drought is a prolonged period with less-than-average amounts of rain or snow in a particular region.