The atmosphere's growing thirst is making droughts worse, even where it rains
- A new study published Wednesday in Nature found rising atmospheric thirst increased global drought severity by 40% over the past 40 years.
- Scientists explained this worsening drought results from atmospheric evaporative demand growing faster than precipitation rates due to global warming.
- The study used advanced climate models and high-resolution global data revealing drought severity rose even where rainfall remained stable.
- Lead author Solomon Gebrechorkos said, "a hotter world is a thirstier one," highlighting challenges in measuring atmospheric thirst over time.
- These findings imply drought will intensify under warming, requiring management strategies addressing evaporative loss and plant water stress globally.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Not just too little rain causes dry soils and droughts. A new study shows that if the atmosphere gets warmer, it sucks the moisture out of the soil.
The New York Times’ Big Lie About the Atmosphere Being ‘Thirstier ‘ - ClimateRealism
The New York Times (NYT) claims in its recent article, by Rebecca Dzombak, “It’s Not Just Poor Rains Causing Drought. The Atmosphere Is ‘Thirstier,’” that global warming is intensifying droughts by creating a “thirstier atmosphere” that sucks more moisture from the land. This assertion is false, clearly debunked by real-world data. The idea that a warming atmosphere is increasingly “demanding” water anthropomorphizes a complex physical process, …
Global Droughts Worsen as Atmospheric 'Thirst' Deepens | Science-Environment
A recent study highlights how climate change has intensified global droughts by 40% in the last 40 years. The warming atmosphere increases its capacity to hold moisture, worsening drought conditions even where rainfall remains constant. Researchers emphasize the growing impact of atmospheric evaporative demand on drought severity.
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