Benhizia et al. (2026) Bi-decadal drought assessment in Northwestern Algeria: Integrating meteorological and remote sensing indices

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Identification

• Journal: Theoretical and Applied Climatology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-15
• Authors: Ramzi Benhizia, Brahim Abdelkebir, Behnam Ata, Mukovhe V. Singo, Kwanele Phinzi, György Szabó
• DOI: 10.1007/s00704-026-06526-y

Research Groups

• Laboratory of Hydrology and Climate (LHC), University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB)
• Department of Geography, University of Algiers 1 (UAI)

Short Summary

This study presents a 20-year integrated assessment of drought in northwest Algeria, combining meteorological and vegetation-based indices to monitor regional drought dynamics. The analysis reveals widespread drying trends and increased aridity, with significant implications for water resources and agriculture.

Objective

• Investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of drought in northwest Algeria using a combination of meteorological and satellite-derived vegetation indices.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Northwest Algeria (approximately 200,000 km²)
• Temporal Scale: 2003–2023

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) approximated using standardized precipitation anomalies
• Data sources:
  • CHIRPS dataset for precipitation analysis
  • MODIS remotely-sensed products for vegetation condition index (VCI), temperature condition index (TCI), and vegetation health index (VHI)

Main Results

• Widespread drying trends across all SPI timescales, with 56% of the study area showing significant negative trends at SPI-3 (mean Sen’s slope = −0.10 yr⁻¹)
• Vegetation indices mirrored these changes, with VHI showing substantially more degraded area than improvement (4.89% vs 0.51% of the domain)

Contributions

• This study demonstrates the value of combining meteorological and satellite vegetation indices for regional drought monitoring and early warning.
• The results underscore an ongoing shift toward increased aridity in northwest Algeria, with significant implications for water management and agricultural adaptation.

Funding

• This research was funded by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) through the project "Hydrological and Climatological Study of Drought in Northwest Algeria" (Reference code: MESRS/USTHB/2020).

Citation

@article{Benhizia2026Bidecadal,
  author = {Benhizia, Ramzi and Abdelkebir, Brahim and Ata, Behnam and Singo, Mukovhe V. and Phinzi, Kwanele and Szabó, György},
  title = {Bi-decadal drought assessment in Northwestern Algeria: Integrating meteorological and remote sensing indices},
  journal = {Theoretical and Applied Climatology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1007/s00704-026-06526-y},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-026-06526-y}
}