Various Causes of Droughts

Lack or insufficient rainfall (or precipitation)

This is the major cause of droughts in most regions. A long-drawn-out period without rainfall can cause an area to dry out. The quantity of water vapor in the atmosphere pretty much impacts the precipitation of an area. When a region has moist and low-pressure systems, there is huge probability that rain, hail, and snow will occur. The exact opposite would happen when the region has high-pressure systems, and less water vapor. Farmers plant crops in anticipation of rains, and so when the rains fail, and irrigation systems are not in place, agricultural drought happens.

Changes in climate

Changes in climate, for instance, global warming can contribute to droughts. Global warming is likely to impact the whole world, especially third world economies. Most governments have tried to play down the fact that the earth’s temperature has significantly increased. But scientists have proven, without doubt, that human activities are the main contributors to the increase in greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. This increase in greenhouse gasses has resulted in warmer temperatures. Warmer temperatures are recipes for dryness and bushfires. These set of conditions mightily contribute to prolonged droughts.

Human activities

Forests are critical components of the water cycle. They help store water, minimize evaporation, and contribute a great deal of atmospheric moisture in the form of transpiration. This, in essence, implies that deforestation, aimed at uplifting the economic status of a region, will expose vast quantities of water to evaporation. Cutting down trees will also take away the capability of the ground to retain water and