IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/abq/ijist1/v7y2025i9p66-76.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Meteorological Drought in Lahore (1995–2024)

Author

Listed:
  • Fatima Nazir Ali, Nimra Arshad, Nausheen Mazhar, Fatima Rani

    (Department of Geography, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan)

Abstract

Evaluating urban meteorology is essential for efficient water resource management, especially considering climate change and an increase in Urban population. It helps to understand the severity and scope of drought conditions, which enables improved planning and execution of drought response measures. This research paper examines long-term patterns of rainfall variability and drought situations in Lahore, spanning a period of 30 years (1995- 2024). Monthly rainfall data taken from the UCSB-CHG/CHIRPS dataset, along with potential evapotranspiration (PET) information from the TERRACLIMATE dataset, are being analyzed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). The whole dataset is processed by Google Earth Engine (GEE), with Lahore’s administrative boundaries used to define the Area of Interest (AOI). The analysis recognizes significant annual and spatial variability, with the mean annual Precipitation recorded at 65.35mm. Extreme years included 2021, with 184.77 mm, and 2019, in this year precipitation was only recorded at 13.06 mm, which highlights growing climatic inconsistencies. SPI values dipped as low as -2.6 in 2015 in the southern part of Lahore, indicating severe drought conditions, while northern Lahore experienced values as high as 1.7, denoting extreme wetness. SPEI values exhibited a similar pattern, with the southern region recorded -2.3 in 2024, reflecting ongoing moisture stress, contrasted by northern Lahore reaching 1.2 to 2, a marked improvement in hydrological balance. These results show that Lahore is becoming more and more vulnerable to both drought and flooding because of urban growth and changes in the monsoon. According to the findings, localized, data-driven climate adaptation policies that prioritize drought resistance, water conservation, and efficient urban planning are essential

Suggested Citation

  • Fatima Nazir Ali, Nimra Arshad, Nausheen Mazhar, Fatima Rani, 2025. "Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Meteorological Drought in Lahore (1995–2024)," International Journal of Innovations in Science & Technology, 50sea, vol. 7(9), pages 66-76, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:abq:ijist1:v:7:y:2025:i:9:p:66-76
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journal.50sea.com/index.php/IJIST/article/view/1476/2025
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journal.50sea.com/index.php/IJIST/article/view/1476
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nimra Iqbal & Marvin Ravan & Ali Jamshed & Joern Birkmann & Giorgos Somarakis & Zina Mitraka & Nektarios Chrysoulakis, 2022. "Linkages between Typologies of Existing Urban Development Patterns and Human Vulnerability to Heat Stress in Lahore," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-26, August.
    2. García-León, David & Standardi, Gabriele & Staccione, Andrea, 2021. "An integrated approach for the estimation of agricultural drought costs," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Villani, Lorenzo & Castelli, Giulio & Piemontese, Luigi & Penna, Daniele & Bresci, Elena, 2022. "Drought risk assessment in Mediterranean agricultural watersheds: A case study in Central Italy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:abq:ijist1:v:7:y:2025:i:9:p:66-76. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Iqra Nazeer (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.