Holgate, Chiara M.Falster, Georgina M.Gillett, Zoe E.Goswami, PallaviGrant, Matthew O.Hobeichi, SanaaHoffmann, DavidJiang, XiaoxuanJin, ChenhuiLu, XianchengMu, MengyuanPage, Jon CrankoParker, Teresa J.Vogel, ElisabethAbram, Nerilie J.Evans, Jason P.Gallant, Ailie J.E.Henley, Benjamin J.Kala, JatinKing, Andrew D.Maher, NicolaNguyen, HanhPitman, Andrew J.Power, Scott B.Rauniyar, Surendra P.Taschetto, Andréa S.Ukkola, Anna M.2025-12-172025-12-172662-4435WOS:001452629300003ORCID:/0000-0002-3645-2856/work/185473558ORCID:/0000-0003-3922-9833/work/185473955ORCID:/0000-0001-8567-7413/work/185475444https://hdl.handle.net/1885/733796170We synthesise advances in the understanding of the physical processes that play a role in developing, intensifying, and terminating meteorological droughts. We focus on Australia, where new understanding of drought drivers across different climate regimes provides insights into drought processes elsewhere in the world. Drawing on observational, climate model and machine learning-based research, we conclude that meteorological drought develops and intensifies largely through an absence of synoptic processes responsible for strong moisture transport and heavy precipitation. The subsequent presence of these synoptic processes is key to drought termination. Large-scale modes of climate variability modulate drought through teleconnections, which alter drought-determining synoptic behaviour. On local scales, land surface processes play an important role in intensifying dry conditions and propagating meteorological drought through the hydrological cycle. In the future, Australia may experience longer and more intense droughts than have been observed in the instrumental record, although confidence in drought projections remains low. We propose a research agenda to address key knowledge gaps to improve the understanding, simulation and projection of drought in Australia and around the world.C.M.H., N.M., G.M.F., Z.E.G., S.H., A.M.U., J.P.E., M.O.G., J.C.P., A.J.P., N.J.A. acknowledge funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes (CE170100023). T.J.P. and D.H. are supported by funding from the Australian Climate Service. H.N. is funded by Meat and Livestock Australia, the Queensland Government through the Drought and Climate Adaptation Program, and the University of Southern Queensland through the Northern Australia Climate Program. S.R. is funded in part by the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program (NESP). A.D.K. and P.G. are also supported by NESP. A.M.U. is supported by an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DE200100086). This research was undertaken with the assistance of resources and services from the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), which is supported by the Australian Government.14en© The Author(s) 2025.Nino-southern-oscillationEl-ninoClimate simulationsRainfallFuturePrecipitationSystemsEventsImpactWet2025-03-2510.1038/s43247-025-02179-3105000836320