SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF METEOROLOGICAL DROUGHT IN SOUTH EAST ASIA AND AUSTRALIA REGION
Imam Maulana Yosa(a*), Rusmawan Suwarman(b), Muhammad Ridho Syahputra(b)

Meteorology, Bandung Institute of Technology
Jalan Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia

Abstract

Southeast Asia and Australia have historically suffered significant losses due to droughts. Understanding these droughts can serve as a foundation for mitigation strategies aimed at reducing the damages they cause. Meteorological drought indices, such as the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), offer a valuable method for quantifying drought severity and frequency. This study employs monthly precipitation data from GPM_3IMERGM (0.1 degree x 0.1 degree) spanning 2000-2021 to calculate SPI for Southeast Asia and Australia across different time scales: 3 months (SPI-3), 6 months (SPI-6), and 12 months (SPI-12). These indices measure drought frequency and intensity, providing parameters for the multiscale Drought Hazard Index (DHI) to identify areas at risk during specific periods. Our analysis indicates that as drought periods lengthen, DHI intensity in each grid generally decreases. A distinct DHI pattern emerges in the tropical rainforest climate zone (Af) in Southeast Asia, while the Mediterranean climate (Csb) in southwestern and southeastern Australia exhibits the largest proportion of very high hazard across all drought periods. Overall, the 3-month period presents the highest drought hazard in both Southeast Asia and Australia.

Keywords: Spatial Analysis- Southeast Asia- Australia- Drought Hazard Index- Meteorological Drought- SPI.

Topic: Atmospheric Sciences