AMS Statement on Meteorological Drought*

Abstract

Drought is universally identified with periods of insufficient water resources initiated by reduced precipitation. Other meteorological elements, including temperature, wind, evapotranspiration, clouds, and radiation, play a role, but their contributions are smaller and not always easily defined. Impacts of drought on society and natural ecosystems are the real issue but are not easily quantified. The result is that the term "drought" does not have a universal definition. Drought, as used in the present discussion, is defined as a "meteorological drought" and is defined as a sustained period of deficient precipitation with a low frequency of occurrence.