The study analyzed drought patterns on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over the past century using a climate index called SPEI. They found that precipitation in the southeast has increased steadily, while the northwest has seen a decrease in precipitation and a rise in temperature. Drought severity has increased from southeast to northwest. The SPEI showed seasonal variations, with spring and summer getting drier and autumn and winter getting wetter. The northeast experienced increased aridity in all seasons, while the southeast and south became wetter. Drought on the plateau follows a 54-year cycle and varies by season.