Drought is one of important natural hazards in Shijiazhuang,Hebei Province.Based on the standard precipitation index,the spatialtemporal characteristics of droughts from 1972 to 2006 in Shijiazhuang are studied by means of the principal component analysis method.The results show that the drought intensity varied with time in total,more severe in the 1970s and 1990s.The spring droughs were relatively serious in the 1970s,and summer and autumn droughts were more serious in the 1990s.The spatial distribution of droughts was significantly consistent,but there existed regional difference.The droughts had an increased tendency in the east and south parts of Shijiazhuang, but a decreased tendency in the north part of Shijiazhuang since the 1990s.