How is drought formed?

Answer 1

Drought can be formed by various means. For a drought to happen, it means that rainfall has fallen below the average necessary to water crops and/or livestock, and to refill dams for months at a time.

This may be a result of the El Nino phenomenon, which brings dry conditions to some parts of the world for sometimes as long as several years at a time. This is why the southern continents of Africa and Australia are particularly prone.

Desertification is a vicious cycle which increases drought-like conditions, and makes it increasingly difficult for the land to recover. Desertification may occur as a result of man's intervention in the environment, particularly activities such as deforestation and cutting down trees, over-grazing of stock animals, or farming unsuitable crops for a region (e.g. rice, which has to have large amounts of water pumped to it).

Some recent droughts are believed to have happened because of global warming.

Answer 2

Drought is formed when there is an extended period of below-average precipitation, resulting in a water shortage in an area. This lack of rainfall leads to soil moisture depletion, reduced water availability for plants, and ultimately affects agriculture, ecosystems, and water supplies. Climate change is also contributing to the frequency and severity of droughts in some regions.