Tracking Ocean’s “Landfalling Droughts” Can Improve Drought Prediction

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Tracking Ocean’s “Landfalling Droughts” Can Improve Drought Prediction

A study that Stanford University published on 24 September 2020 revealed a new type of landfalling drought that researchers could track from the oceans where it originated before travelling to land, causing extensive and drier conditions compared to droughts that solely occur on land.

We don’t usually think about droughts over the oceans, which may even seem counterintuitive, says the lead author Julio Herrera-Estrada.

However, this type of drought exists. Of all droughts on the land between 1981 and 2018, 16% were landfalling droughts or those originating from the ocean. 

The study says that landfalling droughts are much larger (220 to 425%), more intense (4-30%), and can grow and intensify faster than droughts that start and end only on land.

The study says, “While the role of sea surface temperatures has been studied regarding drought development over the continents, fewer studies have analyzed moisture deficits over the oceans. Our results suggest that offshore monitoring and tracking moisture deficits can yield improvements in drought prediction, warning, and preparation.”

Researchers are studying the physical processes of landfalling droughts that frequently occur in western North America and found that landfalling droughts are linked to specific atmospheric pressure patterns that reduce moisture.

The study says that further investigation may reveal similar or new explanations for the same droughts in other parts of the world, like New Zealand, Chile, Eastern Australia, and Argentina.

The study’s finding is vital because these landfalling droughts are significantly more extensive and severe than their non-landfalling counterparts.

Tracking them can provide an early warning that would help communities and areas affected to mitigate and prepare for their effects.

To read the entire study, CLICK on the link below:

Source

Julio E. Herrera‐Estrada, Noah S. Diffenbaugh. Landfalling Droughts: Global Tracking of Moisture Deficits From the Oceans Onto LandWater Resources Research, 2020; 56 (9) DOI: 10.1029/2019WR026877

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