Search

While the relationships between dry land surface conditions, heat, and aridity have been well‐established, few studies have addressed whether global warming will affect the ability of wet conditions to moderate high temperatures and atmospheric aridity. Using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 models, we demonstrate that absolute changes in the monthly maximum temperature distribution during Central North American summers strongly outweigh the historical cooling effect of high precipitation and soil moisture conditions. Although wet conditions nearly always prevent concurrent extreme temperatures in the baseline period, these conditions are 40%–48% and 96%–98% less effective at 1 and 2° of global warming, respectively. However, high precipitation and soil moisture partially retain the ability to constrain concurrent high vapor pressure deficit conditions below historical thresholds at 1–2° of warming. Our results highlight the growing vulnerability of Central North America to warmer temperatures and drier atmospheric conditions, even during periods of high precipitation and soil moisture. Plain Language Summary: In this study, we examine whether warming global temperatures will affect the ability of wet conditions, which we define with precipitation or soil moisture, to prevent the occurrence of concurrent high temperatures and dry atmospheric conditions. Focusing on the Central Plains region in North America, we show that even at 1° of global warming, high precipitation, and high soil moisture conditions already partially lose the ability to prevent high maximum temperatures in the summer months. In contrast, we show that high precipitation and high soil moisture conditions are able to better retain the ability to prevent dry atmospheric conditions even at 2° of global warming. Our results indicate that the Central Plains region will quickly become more exposed to warmer and drier climate conditions, even during periods with high precipitation and soil moisture, with potentially serious implications across public health, economic, and environmental sectors. Key Points: Absolute changes in the temperature distribution due to global warming outweigh cooling effects from wet conditions in the Central PlainsMeanwhile, wet conditions can still partially constrain extreme atmospheric aridity below historical levels under global warmingDifferences in heat and aridity responses are mainly dependent on underlying changes in the temperature and aridity distributions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection and attribution studies generally examine individual climate variables such as temperature and precipitation. Thus, we lack a strong understanding of climate change impacts on correlated climate extremes and compound events, which have become more common in recent years. Here we present a monthly‐scale compound warm and dry attribution study, examining CMIP6 climate models with and without the influence of anthropogenic forcing. We show that most regions have experienced large increases in concurrent warm and dry months in historical simulations with human emissions, while no coherent change has occurred in historical natural‐only simulations without human emissions. At the global scale, the likelihood of compound warm‐dry months has increased 2.7 times due to anthropogenic emissions. With this multivariate perspective, we highlight that anthropogenic emissions have not only impacted individual extremes but also compound extremes. Due to amplified risks from multivariate extremes, our results can provide important insights on the risks of associated climate impacts. Plain Language Summary: Most climate change studies tend to explore changes in individual climate variables such as temperature or precipitation. Due to this, we currently do not possess a strong understanding of the multiple changes that can occur simultaneously under human‐driven climate change. Here we present how the simultaneous occurrence of warm and dry months have increased significantly under modeled climate conditions with human emissions, especially relative to modeled climate conditions without human emissions. We highlight that at the global scale, the occurrence of simultaneously warm and dry months has increased 2.7 times under the presence of human emissions. Since the simultaneous occurrence of extreme climate conditions can produce devastating impacts, this study provides an important perspective on the large‐scale multivariate changes that have emerged as a result of human‐driven climate change. Key Points: Using CMIP6 model output, we attribute large increases in concurrent warm and dry months across the globe to anthropogenic activitiesDue to anthropogenic forcing, the global likelihood of warm‐dry months has increased by 2.7 times in land areas between 60°N–60°SWarm‐dry concurrences show largest increases in the tropics and subtropics (Central and South America, Africa, and East and Southeast Asia) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most attribution studies tend to focus on the impact of anthropogenic forcing on individual variables. However, studies have already established that many climate variables are interrelated, and therefore, multidimensional changes can occur in response to climate change. Here, we propose a multivariate method which uses copula theory to account for underlying climate conditions while attributing the impact of anthropogenic forcing on a given climate variable. This method can be applied to any relevant pair of climate variables; here we apply the methodology to study high temperature exceedances given specified precipitation conditions (e.g., hot droughts). With this method, we introduce a new conditional probability ratio indicator, which communicates the impact of anthropogenic forcing on the likelihood of conditional exceedances. Since changes in temperatures under droughts have already accelerated faster than average climate conditions in many regions, quantifying anthropogenic impacts on conditional climate behavior is important to better understand climate change. Plain Language Summary: Most studies investigating human impacts on climate conditions focus on characterizing changes in individual variables such as precipitation or temperature. However, since many climate conditions are interconnected, these individual variables do not comprehensively represent the many changes that can occur in response to human activity. Here, we introduce a method that takes into account underlying climate conditions while quantifying the impact of human activity on a given climate variable. This method can be used to study pairs of climate variables and here we provide an example application to examine high temperature occurrences during dry precipitation conditions using climate models. For example, we show that regions such as the Amazon have a 4.1 times higher likelihood of experiencing high temperatures under dry climate conditions as a result of human activity. Given our knowledge of future climate change, we anticipate that the relationships between key climate variables may continue to change, which makes the study of human impacts on conditional climate behavior important for a more complete understanding of climate change. Key Points: We propose a multivariate method to conduct an attribution analysis of one variable conditioned on another related climate variableWe show how this method can be applied to high temperature exceedances given specified precipitation conditionsLand regions between 60°N and 60°S show increased risk of conditional temperature extremes under dry conditions due to anthropogenic forcing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional, mainstream definitions of drought describe it as deficit in water‐related variables or water‐dependent activities (e.g., precipitation, soil moisture, surface and groundwater storage, and irrigation) due to natural variabilities that are out of the control of local decision‐makers. Here, we argue that within coupled human‐water systems, drought must be defined and understood as a process as opposed to a product to help better frame and describe the complex and interrelated dynamics of both natural and human‐induced changes that define anthropogenic drought as a compound multidimensional and multiscale phenomenon, governed by the combination of natural water variability, climate change, human decisions and activities, and altered micro‐climate conditions due to changes in land and water management. This definition considers the full spectrum of dynamic feedbacks and processes (e.g., land‐atmosphere interactions and water and energy balance) within human‐nature systems that drive the development of anthropogenic drought. This process magnifies the water supply demand gap and can lead to water bankruptcy, which will become more rampant around the globe in the coming decades due to continuously growing water demands under compounding effects of climate change and global environmental degradation. This challenge has de facto implications for both short‐term and long‐term water resources planning and management, water governance, and policymaking. Herein, after a brief overview of the anthropogenic drought concept and its examples, we discuss existing research gaps and opportunities for better understanding, modeling, and management of this phenomenon. Plain Language Summary: This article reviews research and progress on the notion of anthropogenic drought broadly defined as drought events caused or intensified by human activities. Most commonly used drought definitions are based on deficit in hydrologic/meteorologic drivers such as precipitation and runoff. Within coupled human‐water systems, however, drought must be defined and understood as the complex and interrelated dynamics of both natural and human‐induced changes. This anthropogenic drought definition considers the full spectrum of dynamic feedbacks and processes (e.g., land‐atmosphere interactions and water and energy balance) within human‐nature systems. Ideally, anthropogenic drought and the corresponding human interactions should be incorporated in models that include land‐atmosphere interactions, water balance, and energy balance. In this article, we review existing research gaps and opportunities for better understanding, modeling, and management of this phenomenon. Key Points: Anthropogenic drought is primarily governed by the joint impacts of natural renewable water variability, climate change, and human decisionsAnthropogenic drought and water bankruptcy will become more ubiquitous under current development and climate change trajectoriesIdeally, human interactions should be incorporated in models that include land‐atmosphere interactions, water balance and energy balance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]