Research
'Mega heat waves' strengthened by interaction between soil moisture, atmospheric pressure and temperature
Phys.org ·
The Brief
- A study in Science Advances reports a self-reinforcing interaction between temperature, soil moisture and atmospheric pressure at high temperatures.
- According to the study, this interaction makes extreme heat waves about 10% hotter than they would otherwise be.
- The findings concern how mega heat waves are strengthened once temperatures are high.
Why it matters
The study suggests that feedbacks between soil moisture and atmospheric pressure amplify extreme heat, which matters for how heat wave intensity is modelled and anticipated.
- #heat waves
- #soil moisture
- #atmospheric pressure
- #climate change
- #extreme weather
A new study has found that a self-reinforcing interaction between temperature, soil moisture and atmospheric pressure is being triggered at high temperatures, making extreme heat waves 10% hotter than they would otherwise be. The study was published in Science Advances and led by…