Afghanistan: Dry Spell Monitoring - April 2025

Afghanistan continues to experience below-average precipitation levels, with only a few isolated areas approaching average rainfall. Cumulative precipitation across the country remains below average. The snow water equivalent is generally below average and declining in most river basins, further exacerbating water scarcity issues.

The Agricultural Stress Index (ASI) highlights that negative effects on vegetation growth have extended from Faryab into parts of Badghis, Herat and Jawzjan. Low root zone soil moisture persists across much of the country, with particularly dry conditions reported in Farah, Ghor, Herat and Helmand, as well as in southeastern regions. Provinces in the central region are also experiencing notable precipitation deficits.

Above-average surface temperatures continue to be recorded across most of the country, with the exception of some northeastern regions. This trend is expected to persist, with forecasts predicting continued below-average precipitation and above-average temperatures in the coming months. These conditions are likely to intensify water shortages, reduce crop yields, and damage pasturelands.

Affected Regions:

As of end of April 2025, the most affected areas are in the provinces of Faryab and Jawzjan in the northern region. Other areas at warning level include Helmand in the southern region, Herat in the western region, Kunduz in the northeastern region and Nangarhar in the eastern region.