Evaluation of Regional Drought in Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau of China

Based on the measured and global climate model data of 42 meteorological stations across Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau from 1981 to 2100, the spatio-temporal characteristics of drought in the region were analyzed using standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). Mann–Kendall and Return period were used to analyze the spatial pattern of seasonal drought in SPEI, and the results showed that the number and spatial extent of sub-regions varied with the seasons. Among them, in 2010–2100, the drought situation in winter in Yunnan province will be more serious than that in Guizhou province, with the largest drought frequency in the eastern region and the most serious extreme drought in the western region. The spring drought is most severe in eastern Guizhou and eastern Yunnan, with the highest drought frequency and long drought duration. In terms of spatial distribution, the drought return period in Guizhou province is less than that in Yunnan province, and the shorter return period with 1–3a drought duration are mainly distributed in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau.