• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 1999

The relationship between EI Nino-Southern Oscillation(ENSO) and drought in Korea is investigated using the cross correlation analysis. In this paper, Palmer Drought Severity Index(PDSI) is used as an index of drought and nine ENSO indicators are used. To obtain PDSI for Korea, the PDSI equation is derived using monthly precipitation and temperature in Korea. In addition, ENSO composite percentile analyses for PDSI, precipitation and streamflow in Korea are performed to verify the results of the cross correlation. Results of the cross correlation show that the link between drought in Korea and ENSO is statistically significant with 6% of the variance in PDSI for Korea explained by ENSO. The PDSI is negatively correlated with the equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperature and the Sea Level Pressure(SLP) at Darwin leading by about 16 months. However, the relationship of the PDSI with the Southern Oscillation Index and the SLP at Tahiti is positive correlation. The ENSO composite percentile analyses show that drought, precipitation and streamflow in Korea are associated with ENSO during 6 months from December of the ENSO ending year