than 282.585mm, and moisture deficiency seriously affects water levels in surface
and groundwater bodies, depletes soil moisture and causes crop damages”.
This is a proposed conceptual definition of meteorological drought in
Pakistan. In this definition, the term ‘dry period’ covers a vast arena of meanings,
i.e., it’s not just shortfall of precipitation, but a combined effect of precipitation
shortfall, falling levels of water in reservoirs and declining soil moisture. This is
the reason, why, in the continuation of this definition the term “moisture
deficiency” is used. Although, it is a fact that moisture deficiency is caused by a
shortfall of precipitation, but this term presents a combined effect of this
deficiency on water reservoirs and soil moisture.