Abstract: The new comprehensive meteorological drought index (CI_new) was calculated by using linear decreasing unequal weight method based on the daily temperature and precipitation data at five meteorological stations from 1961 to 2009,and the old comprehensive meteorological drought index (CI_old) was calculated by using equal weight method.The improved effect and suitability of CI_new in Fujian province was studied by comp aring the difference on drought characteristic between the new comprehensive meteorological drought index (CI_new) and the old comprehensive meteorological drought index (CI_old).The results showed that both CI_new and CI_old could reflected the distribution characteristic of drought frequency and the annual variation of drought strengthBut the unreasonable jump times by CI_new was decreased significantly than CI_old,and it avoided effectively the unreasonable drought aggravate problem CI_new was more sensitively than CI_old at the remission drought process.Therefore,CI_new could be an index of meteorological drought monitoring and evaluation.

Key words: Drought, Comprehensive meteorological drought index, Drought monitoring, Drought severity