Meteorological drought is usually an expression of precipitation's departure from normal over some period of time. These definitions are usually region-specific, and presumably based on a thorough understanding of regional climatology. Meteorological measurements are the first indicators of drought. Agricultural drought occurs when there isn't enough soil moisture to meet the needs of a particular crop at a particular time. Agricultural drought happens after meteorological drought but before hydrological drought.
Agriculture is usually the first economic sector to be affected by drought.
Hydrological drought refers to deficiences in surface and subsurface water supplies. It is measured as streamflow, and as lake, reservoir and ground water levels. There is a time lag between lack of rain and less water in streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, so hydrological measurements are not the earliest indicators of drought. When precipitation is reduced or deficient over an extended period of time, this shortage will be reflected in declining surface and subsurface water levels. Socioeconomic drought is what happens when physical water shortage starts to affect people, individually and collectively.