Droughts are getting worse because “the atmosphere is getting thirstier”

“Droughts are becoming more severe and affecting more areas around the world. This isn't just due to changing precipitation patterns. The atmosphere is getting thirstier,” explains hydroclimatologist Solomon Gebrechorkos in an article published by The Conversation .

According to a new study published in Nature , co-authored by the Oxford researcher, the atmosphere has become thirsty in recent decades due to climate change. As a result, the increased demand for water has contributed to increased evaporation and, therefore, the intensity of droughts.

“Globally, atmospheric water demand has increased the severity of droughts by about 40% since 1981,” reports the Australian science magazine Cosmos .

In recent years, the phenomenon has even worsened. Between 2018 and 2022, the areas affected by drought expanded by an average of 74%, compared to the period 1981-2017.

And Cosmos explains that the increased “thirst” of the atmosphere is not for nothing:

“Atmospheric water demand [caused by a growing deficit of water vapor in the atmosphere] contributed 58% to this increase in dried-out areas.”

This means that even in the event of precipitation, or in regions where it has not decreased significantly, soils will continue to dry out. This is due to the increased demand for atmospheric water, which researchers predict will result from climate change.