Drought characterization based on multi-scaler SPEI at Barnala district of Punjab, India

Abstract

Drought varies in terms of its occurrence, duration, intensity, and extent on a spatiotemporal scale and is carried on by the relative absence of rainfall. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) is based on precipitation and temperature data from 1985 to 2020 at Barnala meteorological station for southwestern Punjab, India. The SPEI can monitor and assess drought characteristics on different time scales. The findings of analysis showed that the drought duration, severity, and intensity were 3 months, -6.24 to -3.52 and -2.08 to -1.77 for SPEI-1; 6 months, -9.13 to -9.01 and -1.52 to -1.50 for SPEI-3; 7 months, -14.52 to -8.63 and -2.07 to -1.23 for SPEI-6; 11 months, -21.96 and -2.00 for SPEI- 9; 11 months, -23.02 to -13.19, -2.09 to -1.20 for SPEI-12; 18 months -26.14 and -1.45 for SPEI-24 respectively. Similarly, for the wet duration, severity and intensity were 4 months, 5.87 and 1.47 for SPEI-1, 7 months, 13.64 and 1.95 for SPEI-3, 10 months 14.86 and 1.49 for SPEI-6, 12 months, 16.37 and 1.36 for SPEI-9, 12 months, 23.77 to 17.21 and 1.43 and 1.98 for SPEI-12, 24 months, 33.31and 1.39 for SPEI-24 respectively. Overall results revealed moderate drought conditions during shorter and longer time scales.