The study aimed to accurately monitor and evaluate the drought situation at each growth stage of flue-cured tobacco in Sanmenxia, clarify the high incidence period of drought risk, and provide a scientific basis for effectively avoiding drought risk. Based on the meteorological data of four national meteorological stations in the region, the crop water deficit index (CWDI) was used as the drought index, and the spatiotemporal characteristics of drought in the flue-cured tobacco field from 1981 to 2022 were comprehensively analyzed, and the meteorological factors that dominated the drought were identified by multiple linear regression method. The results showed that the average multi-year water demand, precipitation and water shortage during the field period of flue-cured tobacco in Sanmenxia from 1981 to 2022 were 492.6 mm, 355.1 mm and 137.5 mm, respectively. The probabilities of drought in the mountainous tobacco area at the root-extension stage, flourishing period and mature stage were 60%, 45% and 28% respectively, and 72%, 54% and 35% in the hilly tobacco area. The high-risk periods of drought in mountainous and hilly tobacco areas were from mid-May to early June and mid-May to late June, respectively, and the drought risk in hilly tobacco areas was higher than that in mountainous tobacco areas. The meteorological factors that play a dominant role in drought were precipitation, sunshine time and temperature. In the actual production, it is necessary to fully consider the topographic differences and the changes of drought status of flue-cured tobacco in different periods, and formulate reasonable countermeasures in time.