Drought is one of the consequences of a reduction of rainfall over a long period of time. Often a number of meteorological elements as high temperatures, strong winds and low relative humidity occurs in conjunction with the drought. These facts make drought very strongly expressed. The present paper aims to analyze the intensity and the seasonal differences of meteorological drought in Northeastern Bulgaria and to characterize the drought impact on the main crops cultivated in the study area. The tendencies of the seasonal and the annual air temperatures and precipitation are investigated. Drought periods are revealed on the base of precipitation anomalies and the drought indices as Standartized Precipitation Index (SPI) and De Martonne Index. The driest years for the period 1961 – 2011 have been established. The production of the main crops in the study area is analyzed on the background of climate change. The information from climate models is used in order to describe future climate and to make the recommendations for crop cultivation in relation to climate impact. The analysis of climate data allows us to conclude that the drought in the northeastern part of Bulgaria is normal and a relatively common phenomenon observed, especially from the 80's of the 20th century. Because of this it is important to know about spatial and temporal variability of drought occurrence and its impact on agriculture. This may help for developing long-term agricultural policies and various strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Often the periods of droughts have been observed with periods of high seasonal and annual temperatures, which increase the negative effect of drought on crops.
Despite the well-established dependence, drought is not the only factor that affects crop yields. Air pollution, acid rain, a number of economic and social conditions also play important role and have significant pressure on production. Based on this, some adaptation measures (changes in the dates of sowing, growing a xerophilous crop varieties, etc.) have to be implemented.