Drought index users should recognize that no single drought index is universally effective because drought indices respond differently to various types of climates, land uses and their performance depends on the purpose of the application. Using inappropriate indices can lead to inaccurate drought assessment and monitoring accuracy.
My latest poster—first presented at Drought +10 dives into 17 common drought indices, offering key insights to enhance resilience and early warning systems globally.
Despite the majority of research using rainfall anomaly-based indices because of its simplicity, selecting drought should consider climate of the case study:
• In arid climates, indices based on temperature and evapotranspiration are more appropriate
• In humid and tropical climates, vegetation-based indices are preferable.