 This paper examines the climatic factors behind one of the worst droughts ever recorded in northeastern Brazil. It found that the drought began in the mid-to-late 1990s with the extreme droughts of 1993 and 1998 followed by a series of dry years interrupted by relatively wet years in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. These conditions were exacerbated by low rainfall in subsequent years, resulting in a serious water shortage that had devastating effects on the local economy and society.