Evaluation of Drought Conditions in Peninsular Malaysia during 1989-2018 using SPI and EDDI

Droughts are constantly threatening the global water availability and food securities worldwide. This study aims to evaluate the short- and long-term (1-, 6- and 12-month) drought conditions in Peninsular Malaysia during 1989-2018 using Standardized Precipitation Index and Evaporative Demand Drought Index. Historical trends of drought conditions were analyzed using modified Mann-Kendall test. Spearman’s ρ approach was also applied to examine the spatial patterns of correlations between these drought indices. Based on the findings, Evaporative Demand Drought Index shows increasing tendency towards drier conditions in the northern half of Peninsular Malaysia, but opposite trends are observed for Standardized Precipitation Index. The time series of Evaporative Demand Drought Index are generally well-correlated to that of Standardized Precipitation Index at all three timescales for the whole study area, except for the northern region. The evidence presented suggests Evaporative Demand Drought Index is a great alternative for drought monitoring applications in Peninsular Malaysia.