The atmosphere is getting thirstier.
The atmosphere is getting thirstier. A new study finds that warming is leading to more frequent bouts of hot, dry weather that cause soils to lose large volumes of water to evaporation.
The growing number of “thirstwaves” poses a challenge to farmers, researchers say. “As these pressures grow, there’s less and less room for guesswork in irrigation, so if you are under limited water conditions, you’ve got to do a better job at really tracking your water,” said lead author Meetpal Kukal, of the University of Idaho.
Researchers define a “thirstwave” as three days in a row of unusually high “evaporative demand” — that is, when hot, dry, sunny conditions cause the atmosphere to draw more water from plants, soils, and waterways.
Read More: Yale Environment 360
Soybeans wither amid drought in Texas. (Photo Credit: Bob Nichols / USDA)
