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Published in

American Geophysical Union, Geophysical Research Letters, 7(50), 2023

DOI: 10.1029/2023gl102939

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Warming Overwhelms the Efficacy of Wet Conditions to Moderate Extreme Heat and Atmospheric Aridity Across the Central Plains

Journal article published in 2023 by Felicia Chiang ORCID, Benjamin I. Cook ORCID, Sonali McDermid ORCID
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Abstract

AbstractWhile 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.